Author: Elizabeth Jarrett, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

The holidays can be fun, but they can also be stressful. Personally, I am stressing out about how to make a Thanksgiving dinner for one person who doesn’t eat turkey, one person who can’t eat wheat, and one person who is really attached to family traditions (which involve both turkey and wheat). But there is one thing that I’m not too stressed about: getting the flu.

Everybody who is coming to my holiday dinner has gotten their flu shot – which is a good thing since we’ve got a bunch of vulnerable people in our family. My family includes folks who are at-risk for the flu and flu complications, including elderly grandparents, a toddler, and one person who is diabetic. Of course, these aren’t the only high risk groups – pregnant women, people with disabilities, and those with many other health conditions are at an increased risk for getting the flu or having complications associated with the flu. To learn more about at-risk groups, check out Flu.gov’s Who’s At Risk.

Thankfully, it’s really easy to get vaccinated. Check out the Flu Vaccine Finder and find a clinic, grocery store or pharmacy where you can get your flu shot.

Of course, when you get together, you still need to be a little more careful about transmitting other germs as well, so wash your hands regularly; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; cover your nose and your mouth when you sneeze.

By taking some simple precautions, you can have a more fun when you get together with loved ones this holiday season. Getting your flu shot won’t make your turkey turn out perfect or help you make it through holiday traffic with ease, but it will help you enjoy the time you have with loved ones.