Changes in the flu vaccine

ORANGE PARK, Fla. — There’s no escaping it. Once you have the flu, you're what many call "sick as a dog."

“You feel like you got in a boxing match with Mike Tyson. Body aches. Coughing. Feverish. You think you're going to die,” Dr. Craig Dolven, with Family Practice Associates of Orange, said.

A lot of people do. Each year, tens of thousands of Americans die from flu-related illnesses. One way to prevent the virus is through vaccination. This year, the CDC did away with the nasal spray version over concerns of its effectiveness.

Even though some don't like needles, the shot is now the only option.

“That’s the best thing we have and that's the only thing we really have to prevent getting the flu,” Dr. Dolven continued.

The CDC suggests that everyone six months and older should get vaccinated before the end of October. Some argue the shot makes them sick. Others have had the virus before and don't want to take any chances.

“Terrible. I was out of work for a week. So, for the past 10 years, I get the flu shot every year,” Maybel Ileogben said.

This season, the flu injections protect against three virus strains, including the Hong Kong flu and California flu. Some injections protect against four strains.

Cox Media Group