The following was written by Christa Moor for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department blog, Your Reliable Source:

Dec. 1-7 is National Influenza Vaccination Week. It’s a great time to get your flu shot so you can protect yourself and your family from the flu.

Nobody wants to miss out on holiday events, time with family and friends or other important life moments because they’re sick in bed with the flu. Getting a flu shot is a quick and simple task that protects you and those around you.

The flu is more than just a bad cold. It causes high fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches and headache. Last flu season, 42 Pierce County residents died from the flu and another 671 were so sick they had to be hospitalized. Pierce County saw its first flu death of this season yesterday.

The flu vaccine is the most effective way to protect yourself against the flu. Hundreds of millions of Americans received the vaccine over the last 50 years—it’s safe. You can’t get the flu from the vaccine. Side effects of the vaccine are typically mild and include soreness or redness at the injection site.

Every flu season is different, but flu activity typically peaks in December, January and February. Sometimes it continues into spring.

The flu shot is very important for people who are at high risk for serious complications from the flu. This includes pregnant women, young children, adults over age 65 and those suffering from chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease or asthma. Even if you aren’t at high risk, getting a flu shot protects the high-risk people around you.

So, during this busy time of year, spare some time for your and your family’s health. Go to your doctor’s office, a local pharmacy, or use Vaccine Finder to find a provider near you. Get a flu shot and be proud that you’re protecting yourself, your loved ones and your community.