The news is scary. Nearly every state in the union has reported widespread outbreaks of influenza, some in epidemic proportions, during the first two weeks of 2013. There have already been several pediatric and hundreds of adult deaths attributed to this year's flu, and many hospitals are turning patients away from their ERs due to an inability to cope with the numbers of patients complaining of flu-like symptoms.
The CDC recommends an annual flu shot for anyone 6 months of age or older. In particular, pregnant women, immune-compromised individuals and their care-givers, and people over the age of 65 are at high risk and should have the newest flu vaccine, which has been available since September of 2012.
Here are a few flu and vaccine facts you may wish to consider:
- Inexpensive or free Flu vaccinations are still readily available in many locations throughout your community, including doctor's offices, pharmacies, some grocery stores, many schools, clinics, health care centers and other locations. To find the nearest vaccination center, visit: www.flushot.healthmap.org. It takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to fully boost one's immunity against the flu virus, so it is best to get the shot sooner, rather than later.
- Those who get the flu vaccine this year have a 65 % chance of avoiding contracting the three strains of flu most likely responsible for flu illnesses in our country. The vaccine appears to be most effective in healthy adults and children over the age of two. The flu vaccine is NOT effective against the common cold or other viruses besides influenza. People who have chicken egg allergies, those with Guillian-Barre' Syndrome, infants under the age of six months and people suffering from any illness that includes a fever should not get vaccinated.
- Influenza is a potentially serious illness that can cause severe, debilitating illness and even death. Flu season generally last from October to May, but this year's flu season started a few weeks earlier than usual and has been particularly rough in terms of the severity of symptoms. Because the flu vaccine uses a "dead" virus to induce immunity, there is no chance of catching the flu from a vaccine. There can be side effects from the vaccine, which may include a low-grade fever, redness at the shot site and general achiness as your body's immune responses are triggered by exposure to the "dead" virus. If you already have a cold or another illness, these effects could be somewhat exaggerated. Overall, any short-term side-effects of receiving a flu shot are minimal compared to the longer-term effects of suffering through the flu. For more information on flu vaccine safety, visit: the CDC's Seasonal Flu Vaccine Safety information page.
If the news about influenza has you on edge, don't panic. Even if you or someone in your family catches the virus, most likely it will mean nothing more than short-term inconvenience--roughly 10 days of coughing, sneezing, fever, body aches, chills, sore throat and congestion. Though the media tend to focus on the worst-case scenarios, otherwise healthy people who have no other underlying illnesses such as asthma or immune disorders rarely require hospitalization or die from influenza. So don't let unnecessary keep you from living.
When it comes to protecting your family against the flu, the best advice you can give them is to wash their hands frequently, eat well, drink plenty of water, and avoid hanging out in crowded public places like shopping malls until flu season is waning.
Information source: Center of Disease Control, Macaroni kids