{"id":11288,"date":"2025-09-16T10:32:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T15:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=11288"},"modified":"2026-01-02T11:38:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T16:38:33","slug":"protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/","title":{"rendered":"Protect Yourself from the Flu: What You Need to Know from Blue KC Epidemiologist Odalis Hernandez"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is it important to <strong>protect yourself from the flu<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/about\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CDC<\/a>, influenza (flu) can cause mild to severe illnesses, including pneumonia, and at times, can lead to death. Even healthy people can get sick enough to miss work or school for a significant amount of time or even be hospitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen someone has the flu who is immunocompromised with a weakened immune system, it\u2019s most catastrophic to them,\u201d Blue KC Epidemiologist Odalis Hernandez said. \u201cThe flu flies under people\u2019s radar before it\u2019s too late.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What exactly is the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/about\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The CDC<\/a> defines the flu as a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that affect the nose, throat and sometimes the lungs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe flu is transferred from person to person very easily,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cEveryday measures like washing your hands, covering your mouth or staying home if you\u2019re sick are important practices for preventing the flu virus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The CDC says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/about\/index.html#cdc_disease_basics_symptoms-symptoms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">flu symptoms<\/a> usually happen suddenly and include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"color: initial;\">Fever* or feeling feverish\/chills<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>C<span style=\"color: initial;\">ough<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>S<span style=\"color: initial;\">ore throat<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>R<span style=\"color: initial;\">unny or stuffy nose<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>M<span style=\"color: initial;\">uscle or body ache<\/span>s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>H<span style=\"color: initial;\">eadaches<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fatigue (tiredness)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>*It&#8217;s important to note that not everyone with the flu will have a fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is the best way to protect yourself from the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/vaccines\/keyfacts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CDC<\/a>, flu vaccination decreases the chance of infection, lessens the severity of infection and can reduce the chance of hospitalization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Everyone 6 months and older, with rare exceptions, should get a flu vaccine every season <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kprs.com\/2025\/10\/01\/black-health-care-coalition-blue-cross-blue-shield-of-kc-interview-10-1-25\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">by the end of October.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hernandez says if people who are pregnant get the flu shot, they can relay that protection to keep their baby safe from the flu.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of the benefits of herd immunity is that the more people who are protected, that slows the transmission of that virus,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cIf you get the flu vaccine, you develop antibodies to recognize and neutralize the flu virus and help white blood cells fight the flu, decreasing the chances of passing it on to another person. If <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/back-to-school-boosters-what-vaccines-your-child-should-have-before-hitting-the-books-this-fall\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">everyone in your family is vaccinated<\/a>, that increases your opportunity to not getting sick. Protect your loved ones by doing your part!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is the flu vaccine safe?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t get the flu from getting the flu shot,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cPeople might feel tired after they take it, but the vaccine doesn\u2019t cause the flu.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/ccindex\/pdf\/nomoreexcusesyouneedaflushot.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to the CDC<\/a>, flu vaccines have been given to hundreds of millions of people for more than 50 years and have a very good safety track record.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s extremely low risk for most people but high reward,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cIf you\u2019re unsure or worried about needles, this is a good chance to talk to your provider. Most people say the temporary pain and a lollipop after are better than being sick for a week or staying home for the holidays.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who is at increased risk of flu complications<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people are at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/highrisk\/index.htm#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20during%20recent%20flu,Other%20Preventive%20Actions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">higher risk<\/a> of developing serious complications from flu, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">People with chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and cystic fibrosis)<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">People with heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">People with asthma<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">People with diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">People with hypertension (high blood pressure)<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">People with a <\/span><a style=\"font-size: revert;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/bmi\/about\/?CDC_AAref_Val=https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/healthyweight\/assessing\/bmi\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg\/m<sup>2<\/sup>&nbsp;or higher<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adults 65 years and older<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/74\/wr\/mm7406a2.htm#:~:text=Interim%202024%E2%80%932025%20seasonal%20influenza,associated%20hospitalization%20(two%20networks)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CDC estimates<\/a> from the 2024-2025 flu season showed that vaccination cut the risk of flu-related hospital stays in adults 65 and older by about half,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cIf I know someone who could benefit, I love those odds and being able to help those people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Learn more about the flu from Kansas city Pro Football Hall of Fame member Bobby Bell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/70lhjmks4l4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"578\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/09\/Bobby-Bell-Gets-a-Flu-Shot-1024x578.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/09\/Bobby-Bell-Gets-a-Flu-Shot-1024x578.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/09\/Bobby-Bell-Gets-a-Flu-Shot-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/09\/Bobby-Bell-Gets-a-Flu-Shot-768x434.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/09\/Bobby-Bell-Gets-a-Flu-Shot.png 1130w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/70lhjmks4l4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WATCH VIDEO<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where can people get the flu shot?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most health care insurance plans <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/season\/2025-2026.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cover the annual flu vaccination<\/a> as preventive care. Flu vaccination is often available at no or low cost to people who do not have insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where you can go:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/spiracare.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spira Care<\/a> (For Blue KC members with exclusive access to Spira Care; no appointment needed for flu shots between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In-network primary care providers (Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/member.bluekc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MyBlueKC.com<\/a> and click Find Care in the left column)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In-network retail health clinics (Many pharmacies and retail stores have clinics that offer flu vaccines)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Health Resources &amp; Services Administration (HRSA)-supported health centers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employers, schools and community organizations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are a lot of great options that make the flu shot accessible for folks,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cI know I am going to go to the pharmacy at some point. You can just hop on a pharmacy\u2019s website and schedule an appointment. Even grocery stores have pharmacies!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Odalis Hernandez, MPH, is the Community Health Epidemiologist at Blue KC. She earned her Master of Public Health from Washington University in St. Louis, where she is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Health Sciences. Odalis is passionate about using data to advance health equity and empower communities to achieve their best possible health.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/ohernandez-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11290\" style=\"width:391px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/ohernandez-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/ohernandez-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/ohernandez-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/ohernandez-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/09\/ohernandez-1-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Source: CDC<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"daexthefu-container\"\r\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"daexthefu-container daexthefu-layout-side-by-side daexthefu-alignment-left\"\r\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-id=\"11288\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-feedback\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-text\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"daexthefu-title\">Was this helpful?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-buttons-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-buttons\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-yes daexthefu-button daexthefu-button-type-icon\" data-value=\"1\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                <svg>\r\n                    <defs>\r\n                        <style>.thumb-up-cls-1{fill:#c9c9c9;}.thumb-up-cls-2{fill:#e1e1e1;}.thumb-up-cls-3{fill:#676767;}<\/style>\r\n                    <\/defs>\r\n                    <g id=\"thumb_up\">\r\n                        <path class=\"thumb-up-cls-2 daexthefu-icon-circle\" d=\"m24,3c11.58,0,21,9.42,21,21s-9.42,21-21,21S3,35.58,3,24,12.42,3,24,3m0-1C11.85,2,2,11.85,2,24s9.85,22,22,22,22-9.85,22-22S36.15,2,24,2h0Z\" \/>\r\n                        <g>\r\n                            <rect class=\"thumb-up-cls-3 daexthefu-icon-secondary-color\" x=\"10\" y=\"20\" width=\"6\" height=\"15\" rx=\"1.5\" ry=\"1.5\" \/>\r\n                            <path class=\"thumb-up-cls-1 daexthefu-icon-primary-color\" d=\"m30.57,9.06l-.49-.1c-.81-.17-1.61.35-1.78,1.16l-5.3,11.74c-.17.81,3.16,1.61,3.97,1.78l1.96.41c.81.17,1.61-.35,1.78-1.16l2.18-10.27c.34-1.61-.7-3.21-2.31-3.56Z\" \/>\r\n                            <path class=\"thumb-up-cls-1 daexthefu-icon-primary-color\" d=\"m38.17,20h-18.67c-.83,0-1.5.67-1.5,1.5v12c0,.83.67,1.5,1.5,1.5h16.27c.71,0,1.33-.5,1.47-1.21l2.4-12c.19-.93-.53-1.8-1.47-1.8Z\" \/>\r\n                        <\/g>\r\n                    <\/g>\r\n                <\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-no daexthefu-button daexthefu-button-type-icon\" data-value=\"0\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n                <svg>\r\n                    <defs>\r\n                        <style>.thumb-down-cls-1{fill:#c9c9c9;}.thumb-down-cls-2{fill:#e1e1e1;}.thumb-down-cls-3{fill:#676767;}<\/style>\r\n                    <\/defs>\r\n                    <g id=\"thumb_down\">\r\n                        <path class=\"thumb-down-cls-2 daexthefu-icon-circle\" d=\"m24,3c11.58,0,21,9.42,21,21s-9.42,21-21,21S3,35.58,3,24,12.42,3,24,3m0-1C11.85,2,2,11.85,2,24s9.85,22,22,22,22-9.85,22-22S36.15,2,24,2h0Z\" \/>\r\n                        <g>\r\n                            <rect class=\"thumb-down-cls-3 daexthefu-icon-secondary-color\" x=\"10\" y=\"13\" width=\"6\" height=\"15\" rx=\"1.5\" ry=\"1.5\" \/>\r\n                            <path class=\"thumb-down-cls-1 daexthefu-icon-primary-color\" d=\"m30.57,38.94l-.49.1c-.81.17-1.61-.35-1.78-1.16l-5.3-11.74c-.17-.81,3.16-1.61,3.97-1.78l1.96-.41c.81-.17,1.61.35,1.78,1.16l2.18,10.27c.34,1.61-.7,3.21-2.31,3.56Z\" \/>\r\n                            <path class=\"thumb-down-cls-1 daexthefu-icon-primary-color\" d=\"m38.17,28h-18.67c-.83,0-1.5-.67-1.5-1.5v-12c0-.83.67-1.5,1.5-1.5h16.27c.71,0,1.33.5,1.47,1.21l2.4,12c.19.93-.53,1.8-1.47,1.8Z\" \/>\r\n                        <\/g>\r\n                    <\/g>\r\n                <\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-top-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label id=\"daexthefu-comment-label\" class=\"daexthefu-comment-label\"><\/label>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-number\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-number\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-character-counter-text\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<textarea id=\"daexthefu-comment-textarea\" class=\"daexthefu-comment-textarea\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tplaceholder=\"Type your message\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tmaxlength=\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t400\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"><\/textarea>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-comment-buttons-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"daexthefu-comment-submit daexthefu-button\">Submit<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"daexthefu-comment-cancel daexthefu-button\">Cancel<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"daexthefu-successful-submission-text\">Thanks for your feedback!<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why is it important to protect yourself from the flu? According to the CDC, influenza (flu) can cause mild to severe illnesses, including pneumonia, and at times, can lead to death. Even healthy people can get sick enough to miss&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":4944,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_helpful_status":1,"_analytify_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,25],"tags":[61],"post-on-community-impact":[],"class_list":["post-11288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthier-living","category-preventative-care","tag-members-employer-group"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Protect Yourself from the Flu | Blue KC<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Getting your flu shot decreases the chance of infection, lessens the severity of infection and can reduce the chance of hospitalization.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Protect Yourself from the Flu | Blue KC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Getting your flu shot decreases the chance of infection, lessens the severity of infection and can reduce the chance of hospitalization.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Blueprint\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlueCrossBlueShieldKC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-09-16T15:32:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-02T16:38:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2121\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1414\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"hellwein\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@bluekc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@bluekc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"hellwein\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"hellwein\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/8a2a2195e0a4f4b0649464d1e47f82dc\"},\"headline\":\"Protect Yourself from the Flu: What You Need to Know from Blue KC Epidemiologist Odalis Hernandez\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-16T15:32:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-02T16:38:33+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/\"},\"wordCount\":848,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Members: General\/Employer\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Healthier Living\",\"Preventive Care\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/\",\"name\":\"Protect Yourself from the Flu | Blue KC\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-16T15:32:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-02T16:38:33+00:00\",\"description\":\"Getting your flu shot decreases the chance of infection, lessens the severity of infection and can reduce the chance of hospitalization.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg\",\"width\":2121,\"height\":1414,\"caption\":\"Shot of young afro-american couple showing their arms with a bandage after receiving COVID-19 vaccine. Shot of two young people showing their shoulders after getting coronavirus vaccine.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Protect Yourself from the Flu: What You Need to Know from Blue KC Epidemiologist Odalis Hernandez\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/\",\"name\":\"The Blueprint\",\"description\":\"Welcome to The Blueprint \u2013 your home to view informative articles created to inspire and boost your healthcare knowledge.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"The Blueprint\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Blueprint\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/10\/BKC_VERT_DARK.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/10\/BKC_VERT_DARK.jpg\",\"width\":675,\"height\":675,\"caption\":\"The Blueprint\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlueCrossBlueShieldKC\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/bluekc\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/thebluekcchannel\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bluecrossblueshieldkc\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/8a2a2195e0a4f4b0649464d1e47f82dc\",\"name\":\"hellwein\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/56aa43be2fb6f10c59793d15a6671059e6d493a1162e01c30474b1d16ef1fd23?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/56aa43be2fb6f10c59793d15a6671059e6d493a1162e01c30474b1d16ef1fd23?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"hellwein\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/author\/hellwein\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Protect Yourself from the Flu | Blue KC","description":"Getting your flu shot decreases the chance of infection, lessens the severity of infection and can reduce the chance of hospitalization.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Protect Yourself from the Flu | Blue KC","og_description":"Getting your flu shot decreases the chance of infection, lessens the severity of infection and can reduce the chance of hospitalization.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/","og_site_name":"The Blueprint","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlueCrossBlueShieldKC","article_published_time":"2025-09-16T15:32:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-02T16:38:33+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2121,"height":1414,"url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"hellwein","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@bluekc","twitter_site":"@bluekc","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"hellwein","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/"},"author":{"name":"hellwein","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/8a2a2195e0a4f4b0649464d1e47f82dc"},"headline":"Protect Yourself from the Flu: What You Need to Know from Blue KC Epidemiologist Odalis Hernandez","datePublished":"2025-09-16T15:32:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-02T16:38:33+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/"},"wordCount":848,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg","keywords":["Members: General\/Employer"],"articleSection":["Healthier Living","Preventive Care"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/","name":"Protect Yourself from the Flu | Blue KC","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg","datePublished":"2025-09-16T15:32:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-02T16:38:33+00:00","description":"Getting your flu shot decreases the chance of infection, lessens the severity of infection and can reduce the chance of hospitalization.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/11\/Flu-and-covid.jpg","width":2121,"height":1414,"caption":"Shot of young afro-american couple showing their arms with a bandage after receiving COVID-19 vaccine. Shot of two young people showing their shoulders after getting coronavirus vaccine."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/healthier-living\/protect-yourself-from-the-flu-what-you-need-to-know-from-blue-kc-epidemiologist-odalis-hernandez\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Protect Yourself from the Flu: What You Need to Know from Blue KC Epidemiologist Odalis Hernandez"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/","name":"The Blueprint","description":"Welcome to The Blueprint \u2013 your home to view informative articles created to inspire and boost your healthcare knowledge.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization"},"alternateName":"The Blueprint","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#organization","name":"The Blueprint","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/10\/BKC_VERT_DARK.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/10\/BKC_VERT_DARK.jpg","width":675,"height":675,"caption":"The Blueprint"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BlueCrossBlueShieldKC","https:\/\/x.com\/bluekc","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/thebluekcchannel","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bluecrossblueshieldkc\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/8a2a2195e0a4f4b0649464d1e47f82dc","name":"hellwein","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/56aa43be2fb6f10c59793d15a6671059e6d493a1162e01c30474b1d16ef1fd23?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/56aa43be2fb6f10c59793d15a6671059e6d493a1162e01c30474b1d16ef1fd23?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"hellwein"},"url":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/author\/hellwein\/"}]}},"categories_names":["Healthier Living","Preventive Care"],"formatted_date":"September 16, 2025","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11288"},{"taxonomy":"post-on-community-impact","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-on-community-impact?post=11288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}