Get A Clue About The Flu

By: Melody Rabor-Dizon

 

What is influenza (flu)? The flu (or common flu) is a viral infection that is spread from person to person in secretions of the nose and lungs, for example when sneezing. Medically, the common flu is referred to as influenza. Flu is a respiratory infection, that is, an infection that develops primarily in the lungs. Respiratory infections caused by other viruses often are called flu, but this is incorrect. Influenza usually causes higher fever, more malaise, and severe body aches than other respiratory infections. Although other viruses may cause these symptoms, they do so less frequently.

The flu is a common illness. Every year in the United States, on average

• 5%-20% of the population gets the flu,

• more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications

• about 36,000 people die from the flu or its complications.

Why vaccinate for the flu?

The flu is highly infectious and is a potentially serious viral respiratory infection that can even be life-threatening. Whereas with other viral respiratory infections the symptoms usually are mild and most people can continue working or going to school while ill, with the flu, the symptoms are severe and prolonged and cause individuals to miss days of work or school. The infection stresses the body. In addition, superinfections may occur. Superinfections are bacterial infections that occur on top of a respiratory infection. Bacterial respiratory infections also are a serious type of infection, and the simultaneous viral and bacterial infection can overwhelm the function of the lungs and the body. Among the elderly and the very young, it can cause death. Because of its infectiousness, morbidity (severity of symptoms and time lost from work or school), and the potential for death, it is important to prevent the flu by vaccination. Although there are medications to treat the flu, they are expensive, not as effective as vaccination, and need to be started within 24-48 hours of the start of symptoms.

Influenza vaccine (flu shot) facts

• Types of influenza (flu) vaccines include the injection (killed virus) and nasal spray vaccines (containing live but weakened virus). The intranasal vaccine is not recommended for 2017-2018.

• Each year, composition of the influenza viruses change, making the vaccine used in previous years ineffective. Each year, a new vaccine must be prepared that will be effective against the types of influenza virus that are expected to circulate in the upcoming flu season.

• The vaccine is generally effective against the influenza virus within two weeks of administration.

• The vaccine effectiveness is dependent upon the extent of the match between the virus strains used to prepare the vaccine and those viruses in actual circulation in the community. The age and health status of the individual also play a role in determining the vaccine effectiveness.

• Flu vaccine is an inactivated vaccine, meaning that it contains killed influenza virus. The killed influenza virus is injected into muscles or skin and stimulates the immune system to produce an immune response (antibodies) to the influenza virus. When the virus enters a person who has been vaccinated, the antibodies attack and kill the virus and prevent infection. Antibodies are produced against the specific strains of the virus contained in the yearly vaccine.

• Two types of vaccines are available: a trivalent vaccine that targets three strains of flu virus, as well as a quadrivalent vaccine that targets four strains.

• The nasal spray flu vaccine (live attenuated influenza vaccine or LAIV or crippled virus ) should not be used during 2017-2018.

• Flu vaccination does not protect against infection caused by microbes other than the influenza virus.

• It is recommended to get the flu vaccine as soon as the vaccine is available in the community, even as early as August. Flu season can begin in October and last as late as May.

• Vaccination is especially important for people who are at high risk of developing serious complications if they get the flu, such as those with asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease as well as pregnant women and those over 65 years of age. It is also important for people to get vaccinated who are caregivers for or those who live with people in these risk groups.

• Those who should avoid the flu vaccine include the following: people who have ever had a severe allergic reaction to influenza vaccine, people with a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome (a severe paralytic illness, also called GBS), people under 65 years of age should not receive the high-dose flu shot, people who are under 18 years old or over 64 years old should not receive the intradermal flu shot, people are sick with a fever when you go to get your flu shot, you should talk to your doctor or nurse about whether or not you should get your shot at a later date and people who have had an allergic reaction to eggs should discuss this situation with their health care professional to determine whether the egg-free vaccine may be appropriate.

• Side effects of the injection vaccine include soreness at the site of the injection, muscle aching, fever, and feeling unwell. People report less discomfort with the intradermal rather than the intramuscular vaccine.

Influenza vaccine (flu shot) fallacies

• You can catch the flu from the flu shot – The flu vaccine is made with dead viral particles, and since the virus is not living, it can’t infect you,” explains Holly Phillips, M.D., a New York City internist and WCBS News medical contributor. It also takes about 2 weeks for your body to form antibodies to the vaccine and fully protect you.

• Young, healthy people don’t need to worry about the flu – This is untrue since people with underlying illnesses, flu can still cause severe symptoms in otherwise healthy people. The shot can stop you from transmitting the virus to more vulnerable people.

• The flu includes gastrointestinal symptoms -the “stomach flu” is a colloquial term that refers to a group of viruses that primarily cause vomiting and diarrhea, says Dr. Phillips. “These viruses are not influenza, though some sufferers do experience nausea and even vomiting. But if you develop these symptoms without any of the classic flu tip-offs, you’re probably dealing with an entirely different germ.

• Pregnant women can’t get a flu shot – On the contrary, all pregnant women should get the jab as soon as possible. “The flu shot is very safe for pregnant women, and getting it can even protect the baby for the first few months of life, when he or she is not old enough to get the flu shot yet but is very vulnerable to illness,” says Dr. Phillips. • You can stop the flu by washing your hands a lot – Don’t get me wrong, I am all for washing your hands with soap and water. But it’s not enough to stop the flu. Influenza is spread through the air via droplets of saliva from a person who is contagious (which starts a day before symptoms show and up to seven days after). The droplets can land on you and get into your nose, mouth, and eyes. You can also pick up the flu by touching contaminated surfaces (the flu can live up to eight hours on surfaces, according to the CDC), then touching your hand to your face.

• If you get the flu, the shot didn’t work – Yes, it’s true that the flu vaccine doesn’t offer 100% protection, however it is only about 60 to 90% effective. That’s because multiple strains circulate every year, and it’s difficult for scientists to predict perfectly which strains will be dominant.

• Antibiotics can fight the flu – Antibiotics don’t work on viruses. Antiviral meds might help like Tamiflu has been shown to cut the course of the disease by 1-2 days, if taken within 48 hours of the first sign of flu symptoms. • Bell’s palsy is a side effect of the flu shot – no link was ever established showing that flu shot can cause Bell’s Palsy. Bell’s Pasly is also caused by another viral infection .

• Flu shots can cause Alzheimer’s – this is all speculation linking older people getting the flu shot and the number of people associated wth alzheimer’s as a diagnosis. It is not related at all.

More often than not we fear more on what we hear and what we see in other people. We get horrified by the news about what happened to so and so after his or her flu shot but what you didn’t hear about are those that didn’t get the flu because they listened to their doctors and got their flu shot. Funny sometimes, how fear, misconceptions and/ or anxiety cripple us into avoiding doing what has been scientifically studied and researched. I get it, everyone decides for themselves and you have every right to accept or decline any medical recommendation your doctor may have, but as your advocate for your heath, I have seen many good than bad with the flu shot. In fact, I have yet to see the bad with it especially, if we are always exposed to other people, if we are always on the go, outside, with kids, with our loved ones or with the elderly or the frail. Sometimes, it’s better to think we are getting vaccinated for them because we can be the host of that virus and bring that virus to them and get them sick. Just my thoughts, folks. Please, get your flu shots. Sources: health.com, webmd, cdc.gov