With the cooler temperatures and the approaching flu season, I’m frequently asked “Should I get a flu shot?” The bottom line is that while the influenza vaccine is highly recommended for certain “high risk” populations, it should be considered by almost anyone who wants to decrease their chances of having the flu this year. If you’re over 65 or have a chronic medical condition like asthma, kidney disease, heart disease, or diabetes, getting sick with the flu could seriously compromise your health. Children between 6 and 23 months of age are also considered a high risk population.
Many parents don’t realize that Influenza and its complications are the 6th leading cause of death among children less than 4 years old. 114,000 people are hospitalized and 36, 000 people die each year in the U.S. because of complications of the flu. The flu is caused by the influenza virus, of which there are many strains or types. The type of viruses that are causing the majority of flu cases may change from year to year and a new vaccine to protect against the most prominent virus types must be created yearly. Getting the flu shot decreases your risk of getting the illness by about 70 to 90 percent. While extra effort is made to ensure that high risk populations are getting the flu vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are suggesting that anyone who wants protection from influenza should be offered the immunization. If you are generally healthy and between the ages of 2 and 64 years, your chances of getting the flu are the same as those in the high risk categories. The difference is that, while you may experience the typical flu symptoms (fever, muscle aches, nausea, etc.), you are less likely to experience any complications from the illness. That’s little comfort to wimps like me who can’t stand to be even the least bit sick.
There was a time when I avoided getting the flu shot because of the fever and aches I would get afterward. I thought I was safer taking my chances with getting the flu. More recently the purification process in developing the yearly vaccine has been improved and the side effects are minimized. Now, other than the pain from the needle, I feel no effects from the flu shot. If you’re willing to pay a little more, you can even avoid the needle by using the new flu formulation which is inhaled through the nose. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could give all of our immunizations that way?
Flu vaccines are most efficient when given in October or November, just before the flu season. Children under the age of nine who are receiving the vaccine for the first time will require two shots separated by one month. The flu shot is safe in pregnancy and is especially recommended for women who will be in their second or third trimester during the flu season.
You should consult with your physician before receiving a flu shot if you have had a previous severe reaction to the flu shot or eggs, or if you have a history of Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome. For additional general information about flu and the vaccine, a reliable patient brochure from the CDC is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/vis-flu.pdf.
