When Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) Keep Coming Back
A one-off urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common — albeit uncomfortable — condition. But if your UTIs keep coming back, it’s time to talk to a doctor and figure out what’s going on.
Flu Season Is Nearly Here: 5 Reasons to Get Your Annual Flu Shot ASAP
As the hot summer season starts to dwindle, many folks in Los Angeles and the surrounding area are welcoming cooler temperatures.
The weather shouldn’t just serve as a reminder to pull your sweaters out from the back of your closet, though. The slight temperature swing that indicates fall is also an indicator that it’s time to get your annual shot to protect you from the flu.
Experts recommend getting this shot sometime between now and the end of October — before the flu starts to circulate in your community.
And we can make it easy to fight this illness and its unwelcome symptoms. You can schedule a flu shot at either of our SmartClinic Urgent Care offices in Santa Clarita or West Covina, California. Or you can simply walk in and let our team take care of you.
If you need some added motivation to get your flu shot this year, here are a few good reasons:
1. It helps you avoid getting sick
The flu shot is specifically designed to lessen the likelihood that you get influenza this year. That means avoiding symptoms like:
- Fatigue
- Persistent coughing or sneezing
- Alternating sweats and chills
- Body aches
- Fever
- Headaches
If all of that sounds less than ideal, it’s well worth the few minutes it will take to get your flu shot.
2. It can lessen symptoms if you do get sick
Even if you do contract the flu, your symptoms should be less severe if you’ve had your flu shot.
This is particularly important for people who could be seriously affected by the flu, such as young children and the elderly. It’s also beneficial for people who have other health conditions that can make the influenza virus worse, like people with diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
3. It’s formulated for this flu season
Each year, the flu shot gets updated to fight against the most widely circulating variants of influenza. This year, the flu shot defends against three different strains of the flu: one influenza A (H1N1) virus, one influenza A (H3N2) virus, and one influenza B/Victoria lineage virus.
4. It can help you avoid disruptions during the holidays
While experts recommend getting the flu shot now, that doesn’t necessarily reflect when flu cases tick up. Instead, the current recommendation is meant to prevent a busier flu season.
Flu activity typically peaks in January, but it starts to ramp up in October. Cases usually shoot up in December, too. That means this illness has the potential to ruin your holiday plans if you and your family celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, or any other festivity that falls late in the year.
5. You help to limit the spread
Getting your flu shot is an act of kindness for the people around you. Once you get this shot, you’re less likely to get the influenza virus, and that makes you less likely to spread it to others.
If you’re now feeling motivated to get your flu shot, you can simply walk into either of our SmartClinic Urgent Care clinics, or you can call the clinic nearest you to schedule an appointment.
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