This is National Influenza Vaccination Week.

Veterans! Be ready for the flu season by getting your flu shot. Flu shots are now available for Veterans enrolled in VA health care and VA health care personnel.

Check with your nearest VA health care facility or call toll free, 1-877-222-8387, to check availability in your area. The flu shot is recommended for people 6 months of age and older.

Flu — short for influenza — is a respiratory illness that spreads easily from person to person. Flu vaccination is your best protection against the flu, which occurs mostly between October and May. Protection can take up to 2 weeks to develop after vaccination and it lasts about a year.

Attention those with egg allergies

New this year, based on recent studies — the flu vaccine can be tolerated by people with egg allergies that are not severe. Check with your health care provider if you have a severe egg allergy. The flu vaccine contains egg protein.

VA has a very valuable web site with great information on the flu.

• Learn why you should get vaccinated.
• Learn ways to prevent getting the flu.
• Learn how to treat the flu and when you should seek medical care.

“Get the flu vaccine, not the flu.”

If you think you have the flu, follow the flu self-assessment flowchart. If you are helping to spread the word, you will find Flu Tools and Materials which includes videos, brochures, posters and more.

There’s even a link to other sites that have plenty of important relevant information.

Again, here’s where you can find all that great information: www.publichealth.va.gov/flu

And for a lot more information and resources, visit CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu/nivw