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Liz Unruh (Host): Hello, listeners, and thank you for tuning into the Well Within Reach podcast, brought to you by Riverside Healthcare. I'm your host, Liz Unruh. And joining me today is Tammie Henderson, who's a primary care provider with the Riverside Internal Medicine office in Kankakee. Thanks for joining me today.

Tammie Henderson: Thank you for having me.

Host: As we come into the fall season and flu season, we are here to talk about the importance of getting your flu shot. Before we jump into that topic, Tammie, can you tell us about yourself and your time here at Riverside?

Tammie Henderson: I am Tammie Henderson. I am a nurse practitioner in internal medicine. I've been with Riverside for 10 years.

Host: Yeah. And a funny story, you were just telling us you were actually born here at Riverside.

Tammie Henderson: I was. In the middle of a snowstorm while my mom was visiting.

Host: Yeah. So, you could say that you've been around Riverside almost your entire life. So, it's great that you're here in the Kankakee community seeing patients in our internal medicine office in Kankakee. So to get into our topic about the importance of getting your flu shot, let's start with really the basics. So, what is the flu, and how is it different from just having, like, a really bad cold?

Tammie Henderson: So, flu is an acute viral respiratory infection caused by influenza A or B viruses. With the influenza, the onset is usually sudden. Fever is common with the flu, body aches, muscle aches, headaches, exhaustion, and fatigue. The flu is different from having a bad cold, mostly due to the sudden onset due to the systemic symptoms and complication risk. Both are caused by different viruses.

Host: Okay. So when people are like, "I never get the flu. I don't need the flu shot," like, what would you say to someone that feels that way?

Tammie Henderson: So, 50% to 75% of influenza infections can cause mild symptoms that is indistinguishable from a common cold. So, many people have had the flu virus without realizing it.

Host: So, how does the flu vaccine work and how is it effective at protecting people each year?

Tammie Henderson: So, the flu vaccine works by introducing a weakened version of the virus into the body. It is not a live virus. And so, the body treats the weakened virus as if it was the real virus and kind of builds a defense. So when the actual flu virus happens, the antibodies from the vaccination is able to attack the virus.

Host: Yeah, I think that's a great explanation, knowing that it's like a weakened strain of it so your body can already start building those defenses. So, that's kind of goes with my next question. So even if you get vaccinated, you could still get the flu. What are the benefits of having that vaccination?

Tammie Henderson: So, having the vaccination reduces the risk by 40% to 60% in a well-matched season, depending on the strain, the subtype, and the patient's age. So even if you get the flu, if you've been vaccinated, the vaccination kind of reduces the severity, the duration, and the complications of the flu. So, the benefits are milder and shorter symptomatic illness. It reduces the chance of becoming serious and preventing hospitalization.

Host: I think that's really the big thing, is when you get the flu, it can be so serious, and you can end up in the hospital depending upon, you know, the severity of your flu infection. And being able to prevent that and knowing that you have protection against that and your body has already created some defenses is really, really big. We're going to take a quick break to talk about primary care at Riverside.

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And we're back. So, who would be especially important of a population to get vaccinated? Are there certain groups that are at higher risk for getting the flu?

Tammie Henderson: Absolutely. So, adults greater than 65 years of age, young children adults and children with chronic illnesses such as COPD, asthma, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women; postpartum especially up to two weeks; residents in long-term care facility and healthcare personnel.

Host: Yeah. So, those people that are maybe going to interact with other sick individuals, it would be important for them to protect themselves. There's still a lot of myths about the flu shot. What's one misconception that you hear that you'd like to clear up?

Tammie Henderson: Flu shots can give you the flu. I have so many patients that say, "I got the flu shot, and then I got the flu." So, this is a myth because the flu vaccine does not contain a live virus. Post-vaccination symptoms such as arm soreness, low-grade fever, achiness, that's an immune response, and it is not the flu, and it is expected. And when you go get your flu vaccine, we tell you most of the time okay to take a Tylenol because you may experience those symptoms, they're short-lived. Normally, by the next day, few hours, you're back to normal.

Host: Yeah. I think that's the biggest misconception I hear too about the flu shot is, "I got the flu shot and I either still got the flu or I got the flu from it." That's one I hear all the time too, especially from, like, my loved ones, and I'm like, "It doesn't matter. Go get it anyways." Is there a certain time of the year that's best to get your flu shot? And is it ever, like, too late in the season to get a flu shot?

Tammie Henderson: So, the best time of the year is September, October, that fall season. And actually, throughout the winter season, it is not too late.

Host: Okay. Yeah, again, it's the being able to protect yourself against those viruses that you come in contact with, especially as we start coming in from outside, because it's getting colder outside and we're experiencing more indoor activities. If someone might be on the fence about getting their flu shot this year, what's one message you would hope they would take away after listening to our conversation today?

Tammie Henderson: Just know that it lowers the chances of catching the flu for you and your loved ones. And if you happen to get the influenza virus with the vaccination after being vaccinated, then it just kind of reduces the severity of the illness.

Host: Yeah, which no one wants to be sick. So if you are sick, the lower severity of your symptoms is probably a really good thing.

Tammie Henderson: Yeah.

Host: Yeah. Well, thank you, Tammie, for joining us today. We've had a great conversation here about the importance of getting your flu shot. And thank you, listeners, for tuning into the Well Within Reach podcast with Tammie Henderson, a Riverside primary care provider, and your host, Liz Unruh. To learn more about primary care at Riverside Healthcare, visit riversidehealthcare.org.