We live in such a global community these days and we come in contact with many people from many different areas.
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) October 17, 2014
The beginning of October is notorious for being the start of flu season, and Doctors Express Phoenix is one of the many medical care facilities that educates patients about the importance of flu vaccinations and provides vaccinations on-site at affordable rates. Getting a flu shot each year has always been important, but in response to increased awareness about the seriousness of the 2014 influenza strains, Doctors Express Phoenix is urging patients to be vaccinated as quickly as possible.
An Oct. 1 article published in Business Insider states that statistics from Australia's recent flu season are providing analysts with enough information to predict that the 2014-2015 flu season will be especially bad. Along with other countries in the southern hemisphere, Australia's flu season runs opposite that of the U.S. and other northern hemisphere countries (i.e., it begins in May and ends in October); typically, the strains that Australians have already seen will begin spreading into northern countries as the winter season begins.
"We live in such a global community these days and we come in contact with many people from many different areas," explains Terri Porter, clinical administrator for Doctors Express Phoenix.
A group of scientists in the World Health Organization (WHO), called the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), meet twice a year to develop new vaccines from a collection of influenza strains, taken from across the world. Because there are so many strains of the flu virus -- and because these strains are constantly changing -- it's imperative to receive a new vaccine each year.
To make sure that as many people as possible are vaccinated annually, medical clinics like Doctors Express Phoenix offer quick walk-in appointments and flu shots at low prices (usually between $25 - $45).
Porter notes that people are often "reactive, rather than preventative" when it comes to the flu -- meaning that patients tend to wait to be vaccinated until the flu poses a serious risk, rather than being vaccinated early in the season.
"Once the vaccine is given, it takes two to four weeks for your body to build up the antibodies to fight the flu virus," Porter states. "The flu vaccine may not keep you from getting the flu, but it can lessen the severity and duration. People tend to have the notion that they are 'Superman,' and that nothing can happen to them -- and then it does."
About Doctors Express Phoenix
Doctors Express Phoenix offers a wide range of medical services to their patients, including lab testing, treatment for minor injuries and trauma, adult vaccines, physicals, and more. The clinic is open seven days a week, and takes walk-ins or appointments. To learn more about what Doctors Express Phoenix has to offer in affordable care, visit http://doctorsexpressphoenix.com.