What Versions of the Flu Shot Are Available to Me?

December 1, 2022

Getting vaccinated against the flu during the cold and flu season is one of the best ways you can protect yourself against serious illness this year. It is important for everyone, but especially for older adults and people who are more vulnerable to severe complications from the flu.

Did you know that if you are 65 or older, you have options when it comes to choosing your annual flu shot? We want you to stay as healthy as possible this year, so read on from our AFC Urgent Care Farragut team to figure out which version of the flu shot is right for you.

What Is a High-Dose Flu Vaccine?

While the standard flu shot is formulated to protect against the year’s most common strains of the flu, a high-dose version of the flu shot protects you against four different strains, all at once.

This is especially important for older adults, as serious illness from the flu becomes much more common as you age. If you choose the high-dose version of the flu shot, your body creates four times the antibodies against the different strains. It can provide a much wider range of protection for you!

Minor Flu Shot Side Effects

Muscle aches
Minor discomfort at the injection site
Headache
General tiredness

Can the High-Dose Flu Shot Make Me Sick?

While it is common to experience minor side effects from the shot as it works to build antibodies in your body, it is not possible to contract the flu from either version of the shot. All bits of flu virus that are in the vaccines are not alive, so they cannot cause infection.

The simplest way to prevent serious illness or complications from the flu is to get your flu shot as soon as you are able to. Come see us any day of the week and we can help provide you with protection against the flu.