Connect with us

Health

Flu shot scheduling: When is the best time to get the vaccine?

Published

on

Flu shot scheduling: When is the best time to get the vaccine?

With flu season right around the corner, when is the right time to get the influenza vaccine?

For most people who only need one dose of the flu shot, September and October are generally the best times to get vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s website.

The agency noted that “ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October.”

FLU SHOT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CDC: ‘VACCINATION SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON’

Other groups, including those over 65 years old and pregnant women, should not get vaccinated earlier than September, as protection may decrease over time, the agency said.

Advertisement

September and October are generally the best times to get vaccinated against the flu, the CDC suggests. (iStock)

“However, early vaccination can be considered for any person who is unable to return at a later time to be vaccinated,” the CDC stated.

“It takes about two weeks after the vaccine for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu.”

Among children, some will need two doses of the vaccine, the agency said. 

Those include children 6 months to 8 years old who are getting the shot for the first time, those who have not received a total of two or more flu shots in their lifetime, or those whose influenza vaccination history is unknown.

Advertisement

Early vaccinations, in July and August, can be considered for children who only need one dose, according to the CDC. (iStock)

For those children, the CDC recommends that the first dose is administered as soon as it’s available, as there should be at least four weeks between the two shots.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Early vaccinations can be given in July and August for children who only need one dose and for people who are in their third trimester of pregnancy at that time, according to the agency.

Pregnant women should not get vaccinated earlier than September, according to the CDC’s guidance. (iStock)

Advertisement

“This can help protect their infants for the first few months after birth (when they are too young to be vaccinated),” the CDC noted.

Flu shots can be given to anyone 6 months and older through age-appropriate options, including injectables and a nasal spray.

“Ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News Digital that “the time to get a flu shot is over the next month or two.”

Advertisement

“The flu shot lasts six to nine months, and flu season generally peaks in January or February,” he added.

Vaccination should continue throughout the season for as long as flu viruses are circulating, according to a Walgreens spokesperson. (iStock)

A spokesperson from Walgreens reiterated the CDC’s recommendations of getting the shot before the end of October, but added that vaccination should continue throughout the season for as long as flu viruses are circulating. 

For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health

“It takes about two weeks after the vaccine for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Advertisement

“Getting your vaccine now ensures that you and your loved ones have the best protection as kids are back in school and as we enter the holiday season.”

Health

Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

Published

on

Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.

In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.

“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.

ONE WALKING HABIT COULD SIGNAL A HEALTHIER BRAIN AFTER 80, SCIENTISTS SAY

Advertisement

The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.

“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.

Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)

John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.

After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”

Advertisement

WOMAN WITH ADVANCED ALZHEIMER’S REGAINED SPEECH AND MEMORIES AFTER TAKING MAGIC MUSHROOMS

At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.

An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.

John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)

“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”

Advertisement

Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.

“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”

It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.

“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Advertisement

Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)

Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.

The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”

Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.

Advertisement

“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.

Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)

“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”

Advertisement

Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.

Continue Reading

Health

One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

Published

on

One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.

That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.

Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.

COMMON VITAMIN MAY INFLUENCE BRAIN AGING IN WAYS SCIENTISTS DIDN’T EXPECT

Advertisement

The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.

The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.

Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)

“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”

‘LONGEVITY GENE’ MAY PROTECT THE BRAIN FROM ALZHEIMER’S BY BOOSTING DNA REPAIR, STUDY FINDS

Advertisement

The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.

In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”

As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.

Advertisement

Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)

“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”

Advertisement

“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”

Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.

Advertisement

Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.

Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)

This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.

Advertisement

“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”

Continue Reading

Health

I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take

Published

on

I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take


Advertisement





I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe: Does It Really Work?




















Advertisement





Advertisement


Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.


Use escape to exit the menu.

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending