COVID-19 Archives

January 11, 2024

Protect Yourself and Others with a Flu Shot in Charlotte, NC, Rock Hill, and Lancaster, SC

Flu shot vaccines near me in Charlotte, NC, Rock Hill, and Lancaster, SC

The flu virus evolves yearly, bringing new challenges to our immune systems. Getting a flu shot is a simple yet powerful step to protect yourself and those around you from this ever-changing threat. As we continue navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, our pharmacists at Carolina Pharmacy have created this post to dispel common myths and explain why getting a flu shot vaccine in Charlotte, NC, Rock Hill, and Lancaster, SC is vital for staying healthy.

Understanding the Flu Vaccine and How It Works

The flu, or influenza, is not just a bad cold. It’s a serious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that can lead to hospitalization and, in severe cases, death. The best defense we have is the flu vaccine.

Influenza vaccines work by imitating an infection to build immunity. When developing the annual flu vaccine, scientists cultivate viral flu particles that researchers carefully select to match the most prevalent flu strains of the year. They replicate these viral particles, kill or weaken them to inactivate them, purify them, and use them to create the influenza vaccine or “flu shot.”

Once administered, the vaccine prompts the body to produce a defensive response in the form of antibodies against the flu virus. These antibodies are primed to prevent flu infections or reduce the severity and duration of the flu if someone vaccinated gets sick with a strain not covered by the vaccine.

Debunking Myths About the Flu Shot

There are several misconceptions about flu shots. Here, we debunk some of these myths, each one backed by scientific evidence and our expert opinion:

Myth 1: The Flu Shot Can Give You the Flu

The flu shot contains inactivated viruses or a single gene from a flu virus (for the recombinant vaccine) that cannot cause illness. These components stimulate your immune system to defend against the virus. Mild symptoms after vaccination, such as low-grade fever or muscle aches, are not the flu but a sign your body is building immunity.

Myth 2: I’m Healthy; I Don’t Need A Flu Shot

While it’s great that you’re healthy, the flu can be unpredictable. Moreover, getting vaccinated is not just about protecting yourself; it’s about protecting the people around you, including those who can’t be vaccinated, such as newborns or people with severe allergies to vaccine components.

Myth 2: I Got the Flu Shot Last Year, So I’m Covered

The flu virus is constantly changing, which is why a new influenza vaccine is developed each year to match the strains predicted to be most common. Skipping a year means you won’t be protected against the current strains, putting you at the risk of contracting the virus.

Who Should Get the Flu Shot?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that everyone aged six months and older should receive the yearly influenza vaccine. They emphasize that this vaccination is the primary and most important measure in safeguarding against the flu virus.

Reasons to Get a Flu Shot in Charlotte, NC, Rock Hill, and Lancaster, SC

Flu shot vaccine benefits extend beyond preventing the flu itself. It lessens flu-related hospitalizations for all ages, safeguards individuals with chronic conditions like COPD, and protects pregnant women and babies from flu-related respiratory infections.

By getting vaccinated, you’re not just protecting yourself. You’re also contributing to what’s known as “herd immunity.” When a significant portion of the population is vaccinated, it’s harder for the flu to spread. This is crucial for protecting people at high risk of serious flu complications, including babies, pregnant women, seniors, and people with certain chronic health conditions.

Does the Flu Shot Help With COVID-19?

No, only a COVID shot can. Flu vaccines won’t protect you against COVID-19, but they will help reduce the overall impact of respiratory illnesses on your health and the healthcare system, ensuring the resources are available for COVID-19 patients. And yes, getting the COVID shot and flu vaccine is safe.

Protect Your Health With a Flu Shot in Charlotte, NC, Rock Hill, and Lancaster, SC

Carolina Pharmacy offers flu shot vaccines in Charlotte, NC, Rock Hill, and Lancaster, SC to help you stay on top of your health. Contact us today for more information on the influenza vaccine, COVID-19 testing or the vaccine, and practical tips to protect your health.

August 4, 2021May 18, 2022

Vaccines, the Common Cold, & More: What You Need to Know About COVID-19

Keeping up with the latest guidelines and suggestions regarding COVID-19 can feel like a full-time job. Determining the best way to keep you and your loved ones safe is vital as the world navigates the ongoing ramifications of COVID-19’s global impact.

Coronavirus Updates and Challenges

Knowing how best to protect yourself against COVID-19 and support your community’s fight against the virus involves staying up-to-date on all COVID-19 recommendations and news. From the clinical trials evaluating vaccine efficacy to determining which vaccine is best for you and any medical conditions you might have, it can be difficult to determine which recommendations apply to you and which do not.

We have compiled the latest in coronavirus recommendations and data to help synthesize the course of action currently being recommended by health authorities and governing bodies.

Coronavirus Variants

In recent months, several variants of the original COVID-19 virus have emerged. COVID-19 variants are to be expected; all viruses eventually evolve and develop new strains to more effectively replicate and continue to spread.

Unfortunately, the variants that have emerged have proven more readily transmissible and pose a more substantial hazard than initial strains. The current variant of concern is the Delta variant, which is considered of some concern to public health in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccine Efficacy

There are 3 widely distributed vaccines that have been developed for the novel coronavirus. COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. include the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (a single-dose vaccine) and the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (both double-dose vaccines). These vaccines have proven to be effective enough to receive emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

Information about the immune system’s long-term uptake of coronavirus vaccine technology is ongoing and emerging. Still, studies continue to support a high vaccination status as the best possible deterrent against the virus. Fully vaccinated people continue to enjoy a much less severe illness, even in “breakthrough” cases or cases where the virus is able to replicate in the body in spite of a vaccine.

Continuing Health Barriers

Barriers to public health include knowing what measures to follow and how long to follow them. This is an issue that has plagued public health initiatives from the beginning, as different government agencies have had different messages, depending on the state, county, and city in which individuals live.

In some areas, for instance, health care professionals urged and successfully campaigned to have mask mandates placed and enforced, in addition to limiting building capacity and strictly enforcing quarantine measures. In others, policies were far more lax.

Mixed messages and uncertainty regarding ideal health policies continue to be one of the most significant barriers to health in the fight against coronavirus.

Coronavirus Symptoms and Signs

If you are exhibiting symptoms and signs of coronavirus, it is important to get tested. Knowing what qualifies as a symptom of COVID-19 and what qualifies as a symptom of the flu, a cold, or another respiratory illness can be difficult, which can make appropriately quarantining or recovering for 14 days difficult, as well.

What are the major differences between COVID-19 and the common cold?

COVID-19 vs the Common Cold

Knowing the likelihood of having COVID-19 instead of a simple cold can be difficult. Differing levels of severity can obscure the likelihood of a virus-infected person being infected by a common cold or COVID-19. The symptoms that COVID-19 and the common cold share include the following:

Congestion
Sore throat
Nasal discharge
Cough

Fortunately, there are some symptoms of COVID-19 that continue to present in people that deviate from standard cold symptoms, the most significant of which are fever and shortness of breath. While colds can cause shortness of breath and a low-grade fever, difficulty breathing and high fever are highly uncommon and may be a more likely indicator of a COVID-19 infection or influenza.

When to Call Your Doctor

Knowing the symptoms of COVID-19 can help you determine when you should speak to your doctor. Symptoms of the common cold and COVID-19 symptoms intersect in numerous areas, especially in the Delta variant; tell-tale signs such as headache and loss of taste and smell are not as common in this variant, making identification more difficult.

If you experience symptoms of coronavirus and the common cold (sore throat, coughing, congestion, and nasal drip), along with more flu-like symptoms, such as body aches, chills, and even joint pain, it is important to contact your health care team and determine next steps.

Current Testing and Prevention Guidelines

Guidelines continue to change and evolve as the COVID-19 pandemic changes and evolves. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases regular changes and updates to policies and recommendations. This is done to keep people apprised of the best possible way to prevent transmission of and infection with the novel coronavirus.

Mask Requirements and Suggestions

Although the CDC previously released guidance encouraging vaccinated individuals to begin moving about unmasked, recent guidelines have encouraged even vaccinated people to continue to wear a mask indoors in areas with high infection rates or high transmission rates.

When to Get a Test

Individuals who are at high risk for exposure to COVID-19 should get a test. These include people who are not vaccinated and have recently attended a large event or traveled in an enclosed space, people who have recently been exposed to someone who has been confirmed to have COVID-19, and anyone who displays symptoms of the virus. After getting a test, practice safe distancing and masking procedures until you receive the results of your test.

Where to Get a Vaccine

Vaccines are available in most major pharmacies and grocery stores. The standard of care is the most significant difference in these areas; large chain pharmacies may not have the time or availability to discuss the side effects and benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Smaller pharmacies, such as Carolina Pharmacy, are often a better option for vaccine delivery. Independent pharmacies are equipped to provide patients with a focused, one-on-one approach to vaccine administration, designed to put you at ease and answer any questions or concerns you might have about receiving the COVID-19 immunization.

As you can see in the video below, demand for COVID-19 vaccines and tests has been on the rise in the Charlotte area. Carolina Pharmacy is here to help you get the treatment you need.

Watch video here.

Carolina Pharmacy Is Here to Help

Although we have been living with the novel coronavirus for well over a year, there is still much that is not known about COVID-19. Carolina Pharmacy is home to staff members who are passionate about supporting health and patient education. If you have any questions or concerns about getting the COVID-19 vaccine in Charlotte, Lancaster, and Rock Hill and understanding which vaccine is right for you, do not hesitate to reach out to us today!

April 1, 2021October 5, 2021

COVID, or Allergies? How to Tell the Difference

If you suffer from allergies, you may feel more reasons for concern this year than in seasons past.

This time last year, we would have raised eyebrows learning our reality would become cocooning ourselves away from each other, wearing protective face masks when daring to venture outside for milk and eggs, and disinfecting everything in sight. Indeed, it’s bizarre to step outside the house and right away fight the urge to sneeze, fearing a skeptical side-eye from other passersby. And if you’re prone to seasonal allergies, you may be concerned about either causing distress to others or, more seriously, whether you may have the COVID-19 virus.

That said, there are some symptomatic differences to note between COVID-19 and those pesky allergies.

Knowing how to spot their distinctions should bring you some peace of mind. The key is watching for variations that stray from your typical seasonal allergies. So, during this pollen-brushed time of year, here’s how to distinguish COVID-19 symptoms from those caused by spring allergies.

How are COVID-19 and allergies similar?

Because both conditions appear to resemble each other, it’s understandable how both sets of symptoms get confused for one another. COVID-19 and allergies affect the respiratory system: allergies can cause inflammation in the lungs, while the coronavirus can affect either the upper respiratory tract (sinuses, nose, and throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and lungs).

Signs of the coronavirus that resemble those of allergies can include cough, fatigue, headache, sore throat, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, congestion, or runny nose.

How are the symptoms different?

Allergy sufferers may breathe with difficulty due to congestion, but they shouldn’t have shortness of breath or fever unless they have asthma. They’re also more prone to sinus pressure rather than the pain of a headache.

As we’ve learned, the virus has multiple symptoms: fever, chills, muscle and body aches, loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. These could betray several different ailments, including the common cold, the flu, or a stomach virus. None of these, however, overlap with allergy signs.

In the wintertime, an ongoing question floated throughout the season of how to differentiate signs of COVID-19 from those of the flu. Just the same, specialists advised watching for that same stand-out symptom: loss of taste or smell.

When should I seek medical attention to determine if I may have COVID-19?

Your allergies aren’t improving after taking over-the-counter antihistamines, nasal sprays, eye drops, and/or allergy prescriptions after 3-4 days, and your symptoms are worsening.
You’ve developed additional symptoms, such as a significant headache, fever, cough, decreased sense of taste or smell, or gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting.
You’re experiencing both allergy and/or COVID-19-like symptoms
You’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19

Conclusion

Trying to figure whether you might have COVID-19 or simply allergies can be a headache – but it doesn’t have to be. Learn to spot the symptoms that stand out from the usual allergy giveaways – loss of smell or taste, shortness of breath, and headache -, and you’ll be able to spot the difference.

However, if you are experiencing symptoms, we advise following the CDC guidelines of staying home unless to seek medical care and wash your hands regularly.

Category: COVID-19