›› Flu Vaccine
According to the
Centers for Disease Control, the single best way to prevent the spread
of influenza is to get vaccinated every fall. Each vaccine contains
strains of three different viruses, which change each year based on
estimations about which strains of the virus will circulate in a given
year. Antibodies begin to form in the body and provide protection about
two weeks after receiving the vaccination.
Those persons most susceptible include the elderly over age 65, young
children under the age of 6 months, and anyone else with a chronic
health condition, such as those with immunosuppressant, chronic heart
or lung conditions with compromised respiratory function, or those
currently on aspirin therapy. Those persons who work with or care for
anyone susceptible should also receive the vaccine, such as health care
workers, day care providers, or anyone else who wants to reduce their
chance of getting the flu and possibly spreading it to others.
There are currently
two types of flu vaccine available, the flu injection, and the nasal
spray vaccine. The injection is given with a needle in the deltoid
muscle of the arm, and contains an inactivated or killed virus, which
may be administered to anyone over the age of 6 months with or without
chronic health conditions. The nasal spray vaccine is made from a live
virus and can be given to healthy persons ranging in age of 5 to 49
years. Since the nasal spray vaccine is a live virus, it is not
recommended for pregnant women, instead, they should receive the killed
virus.
The flu vaccine is not recommended for anyone who has had an allergic
reaction in the past, is allergic to chicken eggs, developed
Guillain-Barre syndrome within 6 weeks of receiving a flu vaccination
in the past, is under the age of six months, or has an active viral or
bacterial infection with a fever. Certain groups of people are placed
on priority status by the CDC and are given the flu vaccine first. This
includes people aged 65 and older with or without chronic health
conditions, people aged 2-49 years with chronic health conditions, and
children aged 6-23 months, pregnant women, and residents of long-term
health care facilities.
Side effects of the flu vaccine are usually mild and last only one to
two days. Symptoms include muscle soreness, redness, and swelling at
injection site, low-grade fever, and general achiness. The nasal spray
vaccine contains a weakened virus and can also cause flu-like symptoms
in recipients, such as sore throat, runny nose, headache, nausea,
vomiting, muscle aches, and fever. These should all subside in a couple
of days and are by no means as severe as actual flu symptoms, which can
lead to a more severe secondary infection if not treated appropriately.
The decision to get the flu vaccine should be discussed with your
family's health care provider. To get the vaccine and
experience some mild side effects is far more favorable than actually
coming down with the virus, which can be truly uncomfortable
and debilitating. And then one must consider all the others he or she
is infecting, further spreading the virus, possibly to the one's who
cannot fight the virus off on their own.
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A Healthy Dose of Good Advice
