“Flu shot is also known as influenza vaccine, a vaccine to prevent flu / influenza from seasonal viruses”. Flu is highly contagious. It causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalization and thousands of deaths each year.
Vaccine against influenza or flu began in 1930’s with large scale availability in the US beginning in 1945. The influenza vaccine / flu shot is available every year to protect people from coming down with flu. Every year (FDA) Food and Drug Administration check all vaccines, that it should contain all substances that comply with their strict. New versions of the vaccines are developed twice a year, as the influenza virus rapidly changes.
Does everyone need a Flu shot?
The answer is YES. According to (CDC) Centre for Disease Control, everyone over 6 months old should get a flu vaccination every year and even if you’re healthy and not worry about getting sick, get a flu shot to protect your loved ones. Babies, young kids, older adults and those with chronic health problems can get seriously sick from the flu.
Pros/Benefits of Flu shot
According to (FDA) Food and Drug Administration “The flu vaccine stimulates your body to make antibodies”. They help your immune system to fight with flu virus when you come in contact with them.
The (CDC) Centre of Disease Control estimates that flu vaccination between 2018 and 2019 prevented.
- 6.16 million medical visits
- 3.18 million illness
- 90,904 hospitalization
- 5,747 death’s
Flu shot has many benefits as it save us from the flu but few main are as follows
Flu prevention
According to (CDC) Centre of Disease Control the best of not getting a flu is flu shot . Protecting yourself from flu also protects the people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness. Flu vaccination also helps to protect people who are at great risk of getting seriously ill from flu like older adults, people with chronic health conditions and young children.
You will feel less sick
By chance if you get the flu, so after the vaccination it will make your illness milder, your flu will be cure. The vaccination strengthens your immune system, so it can fight with the flu easily.
A recent study showed that flu vaccine reduced children’s risk of flu related pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission by 74% during flu seasons.
Protect women during and after Pregnancy
Not long after labour day, you will start hearing it, “Get your flu shot!” but do you really need it?
Vaccination helps to protect women during pregnancy and their babies for upto 6 months after they are born. Vaccination reduces the risk of flu associated acute respiratory infection in pregnant women by upto one- half.
Helps to prevent from hospitalization
One study showed that flu vaccination was associated with a 71% reduction in flu related hospitalization among adults of all ages and 77% reduction among adults 50 years of age and older during the flu season.
Other studies have shown that vaccination can reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalization in older adults . A study that looked at flu shot effectiveness over the course of three flu seasons estimated that flu vaccination lowered the risk of hospitalizations by 61% in people 50 years of age and older.
Save people with chronic health issues
Vaccination play’s an important role in the life of people with chronic health issues. These vaccinations were associated with lower rates of some cardiac events among people with heart diseases, especially among those who had a cardiac event in the past year.
CONS/ SIDE EFFECTS OF FLU SHOT
Although flu shots are beneficial for all but it may have some side effects for the people. Some are as follows.
Still getting the flu
According to ( CDC ) Centre of Disease Control after vaccination many people’s complain that they are still getting the flu. The problem is after getting vaccination it takes almost two weeks to act against the flu. It actually happens mainly because of two reasons
- The vaccination was not that good enough for the patient.
- People with weak immune system have more chances to get the flu in between after getting the vaccination.
Reaction at the injection site
The most common side effect of the flu shot is a reaction at the infection site which is typically on the upper arm. After the shot is given you may have soreness,redness,warmth and in some cases slight swelling . These effects usually last less than two days.
Allergic reaction
In every million shots only 0.2 cases occur reaction. This is very rare condition . It happens mainly after two hour of getting a flu shot . Symptoms are difficulty in breathing, wheezing, rapid heartbeat, rash or hives , swelling around eyes and mouth, feeling weak or dizzy.
If the conditions are critical you should concern your doctor.
Guillain- Barre Syndrome
Guillain- Barre Syndrome is a rare disorder. In this condition the person immune system starts to attack his own nerves cells causing muscle weakness and sometime paralysis. Most people recover fully form (GBS) Guillain barre syndrome but some have long term nerve damage. In very rare cases people have died of (GBS) syndrome. In the United State an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people develop Guillain barre syndrome each year.
Conclusion
Every year millions of people get the flu. Receiving the flu vaccine is effective from developing flu this will help you and your family members and others from not getting the flu. WHO and CDC recommend yearly vaccination those who have high risk of getting the flu. There have been many achievements in the development of influenza vaccines and antiviral medications to prevent and treat influenza. However, there is much more that is needed so that people who are at risk for influenza and it’s complications and those who come in contact with individuals must receive the vaccine.
IFRAH RIZWAN FAROOQI