While waiting for the COVID-19 vaccine, there is another vaccine that should be on our radar now.
The FDA approved the Fluzone high-dose influenza vaccine for people over the age of 65. It has four times as many antigens as normal influenza vaccines (influenza proteins that the immune system recognizes and attacks). That’s why it’s called a tetravalent vaccine: it protects against four strains of the virus.
Our healthcare professionals show that it is important for older people to be vaccinated against the flu each year. It is more likely to have influenza complications due to age-related weakening of the immune system and the likelihood of other comorbidities such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The medical community anticipates a wave of COVID-19 in late fall, almost as soon as the flu hits. Influenza can be fatal to older people, even when there is no pandemic. About 90% of flu-related deaths and 50-70% of flu-related hospitalizations occur among people over the age of 65.
Despite the benefits of flu shots, nearly one-third of older people skip flu shots each year. A study presented at the 2019 Infectious Diseases Society of America’s annual meeting found that vaccinated older people had a 28% reduction in risk of entering the ICU and a 46% reduction in the risk of needing a ventilator. did.
Vaccination against the flu does not completely protect us from the flu, but even if you get the flu, the symptoms may not be so serious. We recommend that you get a flu shot from mid-September to mid-November. It hits the sweet spot between fast enough to have enough time to boost immunity and slow enough to keep immunity from weakening by March or April. That is.
All influenza vaccines, including the high-dose vaccines we recommend, are free at Medicare Apartment B. Our clinics and most pharmacies offer flu shots. We encourage you to call in advance and ask questions about timing and process. Healthcare clinics manage social distance and infection control practices and procedures very well. I received the shot the day I called and felt safe throughout the encounter. The vaccine is recorded in my medical record.
Most importantly, medical professionals advise that you need to wear a mask, reduce social distance, and wash your hands frequently to protect yourself from both the flu and COVID-19.
Ann Bushy lives in Side Lake. This article builds on Anne’s daily healthy aging email for senior members of the Mesabi Family YMCA, which aims to maintain hope, health, and well-being during a pandemic.
