Matt Got His Flu Shot Early — And So Should You

I already got my flu shot this season, and after visiting my friends at Family First Urgent Care, I urge you to get yours sooner rather than later.

It’s only early fall, but flu season has already started. Getting a flu shot is about more than protecting yourself this flu season. It’s about preventing your family, co-workers and friends from getting the flu. It's especially important for keeping the flu away from vulnerable people, like the elderly, pregnant women and small children.

Statistically speaking, the flu vaccine prevented an estimated 5.3 million cases of flu nationwide — including about 85,000 hospitalization with the flu — in 2016-17, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Multiple studies also have shown that it reduces the severity of the flu in patients who still contract the flu after receiving the vaccine.

Family First Urgent Care makes it easy and convenient to get the flu shot, too. They are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and have two locations: 1803 Highway 35, Oakhurst, and 1851 Hooper Ave., Toms River.

Walk-ins are welcome, but you also can make an appointment online here and by calling 732-531-0100 (Oakhurst) or 732-255-2001 (Toms River).

The flu shot is really painless, and with prep it only takes a couple of minutes get done. Weigh being miserably sick for weeks — and go ahead and make an appointment today with Family First Urgent Care.