Your COVID Shot at Flu Shot Clinics in Calgary

After you have contracted a COVID-19 infection, you might wonder when you can get your first vaccine, a second dose, or a booster shot to better protect yourself from getting it again–which occurs more frequently than you think. Although some may believe that you’re immune to COVID-19 after fully recovering from it, such immunity is fleeting and will only give you an extra layer of protection for a few weeks to a couple of months at a time. To completely secure yourself from getting infected by COVID again, you should consider getting better protected by receiving a COVID vaccine and booster dose, but how long should you wait before getting the vaccine?

Find out everything you need to know about getting a vaccine from your local flu shot clinics in Calgary after your COVID infection recovery and the plethora of benefits from the vaccines and boosters.

Why you still need a vaccine after COVID recovery

After you have been infected with COVID and have fully recovered, there is a short period where you receive better immunity from contracting the infection again. This period of time only lasts a mere few weeks to a couple months before you’re liable to get COVID again. Because COVID infections are surging during periods of the year, and new variants begin to emerge, it is important to keep up with your COVID vaccinations to make sure you’re thoroughly protected from it. Every time you get reinfected with COVID, your chances of experiencing complications deriving from the infection, such as high blood pressure and chronic headaches, begins to increase, which can be avoided when getting your vaccines.

How long does immunity from COVID last?

Generally, immunity from COVID after you’ve been infected depends on certain factors, such as age and whether or not the individual infected already has a weakened immune system. But typically, immunity after COVID can last upwards of three months before it will wane, and you’ll become more at risk of contact with the infection again. For variants like some of the Omnicron sub-variants, immunity only extends to 30 days. The best way to receive well-rounded and long-lasting immunity from the virus is to obtain all your vaccines from your local flu shot clinics in Calgary.

How long should you wait to get vaccinated after recovery

Waiting times to get your vaccinations after you recover from COVID will ultimately vary from person to person. It remains a general point to wait until you’re fully recovered from COVID, your isolation period has ceased, and you’re no longer contagious to get a vaccination or booster. Other experts maintain that you should wait three months from when you recover to get the vaccine to receive the optimal immunity response. Though if your immune system is weakened or you are at an advanced age, it is best to get the COVID vaccine as soon as you fully recover.

Benefits

The benefits of getting the COVID vaccine are plenty as you can increase your chances of not getting any breakthrough infections, lower your risk of serious disease that stems from a COVID-19 infection, and you can do your part to halt the spread of a contagious virus such as COVID.

Springborough Pharmasave is your health professionals committed to serving the Springborough community. Our pharmacy in SW Calgary will provide you with all the important services you need for your health, including healthcare advice and medical products. All our programs and services will be tailored to the needs of our consumers. We offer vaccinations, flu shots, breast pump rentals, and can act as your travel clinic in Calgary. Giving back to the community is a core value at Pharmasave, and we are proud of our work to help the Springborough community. Visit us at 104-30 Springborough Blvd, Southwest Calgary or call us on (403) 453-6113.

Flu shot clinics in Calgary and how the flu shot works

A flu shot is a type of vaccine that you need to receive each year when flu season inevitably emerges. But before you get yours this upcoming year, you might be wondering, what exactly is a flu shot? And how does it help prevent flu? CDC conducts studies to find out how effectively influenza or flu virus can shield against the flu. Although the VE or vaccine effectiveness tends to vary, recent reports show that the flu vaccine brings down the risk of illness by around 40 to 60 percent during the peak seasons of flu virus circulation.

Find out all the information you need to know before receiving your flu vaccine, including how it works, what mechanisms are involved, and its importance.

What’s the mechanism of the flu vaccine?

The flu vaccine works by reviving a weakened or deactivated version of the influenza virus so that the body is trained to recognize the antigen protein present on the virus surface. As a result, the immune system is triggered to develop antibodies for combating the flu. This, in turn, creates a certain degree of immunity to help you come around when you face the real virus ever.

Once you receive your vaccine from any flu shot clinics in Calgary, it can take around two weeks to gain efficacy. This is the reason why experts suggest that you should get the vaccine during autumn, even before the flu season arrives. This brings the concern of what would happen if it’s already late autumn and you haven’t yet got your flu vaccine. Flu vaccines can be taken through March, and it’s better late than never when it comes to protecting the health of the individual as well as the community at large.

What goes into a flu vaccine?

Every year, health experts and researchers examine the strains of the flu virus that are going to be the most prevalent in the coming season, and the flu shot clinics in Calgary design the vaccine accordingly. Most common flu shots shield against the four variants of the virus, including the H1N1 and H3N2, classed as the influenza A virus and two influenza B viruses.

Typically, the shots are created from inactivated viruses indicating that the particles are developed in a culture and are devoid of the ability to trigger symptoms. Sometimes, the vaccine is also created from a recombinant virus that is artificially crafted. Therefore, it cannot cause any disease or reproduce.

The third option for creating flu shots is using living but weak viruses used for nasal spray vaccines. According to the experts, each of these versions is equally effective although the live virus is not given to people with a compromised immune system, certain medical conditions, and pregnant women.

What influences the effectiveness of the flu shot?

How well a flu shot is going to work can vary from one season to another. And the level of protection will also vary based on who is taking the shot. The two most significant factors in this regard are the traits of the person taking the shot and the level to which the vaccine matches the flu virus that’s spread across the community. In case there is no match between the flu virus spreading in the community and the flu shot being taken, then it will offer little to no protection against diseases.

Flu shots in Calgary: How long do they last?

The influenza (commonly referred to as the flu) is a respiratory illness that infects millions of people worldwide each year. As the fall and winter approach, marking the beginning of flu season, getting a flu shot will provide you with the protection you need and will allow you to avoid the hassle of getting sick. Each year, based on extensive scientific research and clinical trials, a new flu shot is developed to protect the general public against the newest flu strain. As COVID-19 spreads, protecting yourself against the flu has become more critical than ever, and you can receive your flu shot at clinics in Calgary. But as you acquire your vaccine this fall and winter, questions are bound to bubble to the surface surrounding how they protect you and how long they actually last.

Determine how long your flu shot vaccine will last this fall and winter and all the information you’ll want to know about its ability to protect your health.

Flu shot availability

It takes about six months for the flu shot to be developed by manufacturers and when they become available ultimately depends on when development has been completed. Shipments of the flu shot begin to be carried out within North America in mid to late summer, around late July or August. Healthcare providers and workers will start giving the general public their annual flu shots as they receive these shipments. Upon receiving the shot, it will take around two weeks for you to build immunity to protect you against the newest strain of influenza.

Getting the flu shot each year

As aforementioned, the influenza strain changes every year, and the previous year’s vial of flu shot will not protect you against the newest strain. Because a strain is so apt to change each year, a new flu shot is continuously in development, so your body can adjust and rebuild the number of antibodies that have decreased since you last received your flu shot.

Who should get it

According to Health Canada, anyone who is susceptible to feeling sick, particularly with COVID-19, should ensure they receive their flu shot. Those who can be particularly vulnerable to the flu can include the elderly, anyone working within the healthcare field, adults older than 50, children younger than 2, anyone with a chronic medical condition and weakened immune systems, and people who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Additionally, those who frequent a hospital for treatments like chemo should receive a flu shot, as should anyone that resides in a nursing facility.

When the flu shot starts working, and long does it last

Typically, the flu shot will begin to take effect after two weeks of receiving the initial injection. After that, you may experience minimal and very mild side effects, including tolerable aches and pains and a fever, but these side effects should only last a few days. The flu shot will offer you a barrier of protection against the newest spread of the influenza strain, but the flu shot’s effectiveness will begin to wane as the year progresses and a new strain emerges the following year. You can expect your newest flu shot to last you for the duration of the flu season you’re currently in, but once a new one begins within the next year, you’ll have to get another shot at a flu shot clinic in Calgary.

As schools start to welcome students back for face-to-face classes after a long hiatus, there has been much talk about whether kids need the COVID vaccine. Besides, kids are known to have a stronger immune system than adults. However, it doesn’t mean they’re completely invincible since kids still get other vaccinations in Calgary. Here are a few reasons why kids need the COVID vaccine.

Why Kids Need COVID Vaccinations in Calgary for School

Social Distancing Can’t be Followed

When COVID first popped up, health professionals advised everyone to keep a safe distance from others since we don’t know who had it. When you are at school, you can’t follow social distancing. It is such a small place, and your kids will eventually converse with the other kids there. It won’t be long before they play with each other as it has been a long time since their last opportunity.

Symptoms are Less Severe

People who get vaccinations are less likely to get symptoms such as loss of taste and high fever. After a series of vaccinations, you will likely only experience a cough and cold. Then the virus will be gone after a few days. Gone are the days when you need to quarantine after travelling to another city or country. There is still the need to take medications for minor illnesses, but it won’t be that much.

No Need to Worry About Other Vaccines

When you think about having your kids receive other vaccinations, that won’t be a problem when your kids just got the COVID vaccine. It is completely safe for your kids to receive additional vaccinations after receiving the COVID vaccine. However, you should still see a doctor, especially when you experience a few side effects. After all, the doctor would need to examine your family history before deciding.

The Possibility of Getting COVID Again

Unlike other diseases, kids who got the virus before are not safe from getting it again. It is possible that they can get it, and the symptoms are much worse if you don’t get the vaccine. On the other hand, vaccinations will lessen the effect, so you don’t have to feel worried about your kids when they get sick.

Reduce Risk of Hospitalisation

When your kids get confined to the hospital because of COVID, it can not only compromise their long-term health but also have them running behind in their schoolwork. The longer they get confined, the further behind they are and, at worst, could put them more at risk if they’re already immuno-compromised. If you got the vaccinations, that would prevent such scenarios from occurring.

If your kids have yet to get the vaccine, you best get them from a reliable source. Plenty of scams out there make it hard to keep track of the legitimate ones. When you get it from a clinic that offers a variety of health services, then you should feel confident the vaccinations will help your kids in the long run.

Springborough Pharmasave is your health professionals committed to serving the Springborough community. Our pharmacy in SW Calgary provides you with all you need for your health, including healthcare advice and medical products. We offer vaccinations, flu shots, breast pump rentals, and can act as your travel clinic in Calgary. Giving back to the community is a core value at Pharmasave. Further, we are proud of our work to help the Springborough community. Visit us at 104-30 Springborough Blvd, Southwest Calgary, or call us at (403) 453-6113.

When it comes to manufacturing a cure for COVID-19, it might take several years for it to be created, and for the results to work as expected. It could take even longer for the herd immunity to occur, considering the extent of which vaccinations in Calgary can be available.

What is herd immunity, though? And why is it important? This blog breaks down the importance of herd immunity and how it relates to the COVID-19 crisis.

What is Herd Immunity?

In basic terms, herd immunity occurs when most of the population is immune to an infectious disease, thereby providing protection – or herd immunity – to those that are not immune to the disease.

Some classic examples in which herd immunity works is with measles, mumps, polio, and chickenpox. These diseases were once common and highly contagious. But due to the availability of a vaccine, herd immunity has been established. While cases might still occur, due to a large number of protected individuals, the virus does not spread as quickly.

Overall, usually between 70% to 90% of a population needs immunity against the virus for herd immunity to be achieved.

What are the Challenges for Herd Immunity?

The rule for herd immunity is that the more infectious a disease, the higher the population immunity needs to be to ensure herd immunity. Take, for example, measles, which is considered highly contagious. To achieve herd immunity, you need 95% of the popular to be immune.

Simultaneously, given the high numbers in which people can be affected by a new disease (such as COVID-19), it might be challenging to achieve this global immunity because the cases of infected people keep getting higher and higher.

Even when vaccines are available, particular viruses such as the flu mutate over time, so the antibodies from the previous infection only last for a period of time. It is why it is always recommended to go to a flu shot clinic in Calgary before winter to protect yourself against it.

What About COVID-19?

Being that COVID-19 has similar strains to the flu and is as infectious as the measles, the future is unclear in regards to herd immunity. It can be difficult for a vaccination to be created in which it protects people for an extended period of time as it has similar strains to the flu (as additional shots might be required, as the vaccine might have to be adapted). Considering the high numbers, it can take a long time for herd immunity to be achieved.

The upside is that we must remain vigilant against the virus and protect ourselves at all costs. Wear face masks, sanitize yourself often and adhere to social distancing rules. It is also advisable to get all your flu shots and vaccinations from your trusted compounding pharmacy in SW Calgary to protect yourself against all other viruses.