Influenza vaccine
The flu vaccine can prevent the flu. Put it on this fall and avoid serious illnesses in this cold season.
It is important to have the influenza vaccine because the flu is a serious disease. It is caused by a virus that is passed from infected people to the nose or throat of others. The flu can cause: fever, sore throat, chills, cough, headache, and muscle aches. Anyone can get the flu. Most people are sick with the flu for only a few days, but some get more seriously ill and need to be hospitalized. The flu causes an average of 36,000 deaths each year in the United States, most of them among the elderly. The flu vaccine can prevent the flu. The vaccine is the best protection against influenza during this season. If you get a flu vaccine, you will be 60% less likely to require flu treatment from a healthcare provider. Vaccination has been shown to offer other substantial benefits including reductions in illness, antibiotic use, time lost from work due to illness, hospitalizations and deaths. Types of Vaccine There are two different kinds of influenza vaccine; the trivalent and the tetravalent. Trivalent vaccines provide protection against 3 of the influenza strains; A/H3N2, A/H1N1 and influenza B. They are approved for use in all people from 6 months of age. Intradermal vaccines, which use a shorter needle, are approved for use in all people from 18 to 64 years of age. High-dose vaccines are approved for use in people over 65 years of age. These cell-based vaccines use cultured viruses. ved in animal cells and are approved for use in all people over 18 years of age. Recombinant vaccines created from DNA technology are approved for use in people ages 18 to 49 who have a severe allergy to eggs. About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies begin to develop in the body to provide protection against influenza virus infection. In the meantime, you are still at risk of catching the flu. That’s why it’s best to get vaccinated in early fall, before flu season begins. Side effects Mild side effects usually appear immediately after vaccination and last one or two days. Possible mild side effects of the flu shot include: Pain, redness, and swelling where the shot was given Fainting, especially in teens Headaches Fever Nausea.
