Who Should Get the Flu Vaccine and Why? Our Medical Analyst Explains

CNN
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Welcome to this year’s flu season.

This year’s flu strain has already begun to spread across the United States, according to. New data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionThere have been at least 880,000 flu cases, nearly 7,000 hospitalizations, and sadly 360 flu deaths this fall, including one child death. Since 2009, during the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, This many cases of influenza at such an early age in season.

Despite these numbers, many people are wondering if the flu is really that serious of a disease. What? Can I get the flu from the vaccine? If I get the Covid vaccine, do I still need the flu vaccine?

To answer these questions and more, we spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen. Dr. Leana Wen is an emergency physician and public health expert, George She is Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Washington’s Milken Institute School of Public Health.she is also the author of “Lifeline: A Physician’s Journey in the Battle for Public Health”.

CNN: Is the flu a serious illness? What symptoms do people experience?

AS Dr. Liana Wen: It can certainly be serious.of Estimation of CDC The flu caused 9 to 41 million illnesses, 140,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations, and 12,000 to 52,000 deaths annually across the United States between 2010 and 2020.

flu symptoms Fever, muscle pain, headache, fatigue, cough, runny nose, etc. Most people recover within a few days, but some people feel unwell for 10 days to 2 weeks after symptoms appear. Some people develop complications such as sinus and ear infections, pneumonia, and brain inflammation. For example, people with chronic lung disease or heart disease may be made worse by the flu.

Even generally healthy people can become seriously ill because of the flu. However, those who are particularly susceptible to severe outcomes include those over the age of 65, young children under the age of 2, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions.

CNN: What are the benefits of the vaccine, especially if some people get the flu despite being vaccinated?

Wen: Flu vaccines do two things. First and most importantly, it reduces the chances of serious illness, hospitalization and death. Second, it can also reduce your chances of getting sick with the flu at all.

In some ways, this is not much different than the Covid-19 vaccine. The most important reason to get vaccinated against both influenza and coronavirus is to prevent severe illness.new data presented at Latest Morbidity and Mortality Reports from CDC Shows flu vaccine for this year Reduced risk of hospitalization by approximately 50%A 2018 study found that people who were vaccinated against the flu were 59% less likely to be admitted to the ICU for the flu than those who were not vaccinated.

Vaccine effectiveness depends on how well the vaccine is matched to the circulating influenza strain.of Cited by the CDC Vaccine efficacy against ‘medical-associated illnesses’ ranged from 23% to 61%, depending on year and vaccine strain match. Therefore, it is true that even if you get the flu vaccine, you can still get the flu. But vaccines reduce that chance — and, crucially, it reduces your chances of getting very sick.

Another thing to consider is that there are many other A virus that causes flu-like symptomsInfluenza vaccines help prevent viral infections caused by influenza, but there are many other causes of viral syndromes, including adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, and parainfluenza. These other viruses also spread easily and there is no vaccine for them. I often hear from patients that they do not want to get the flu vaccine again because they got the flu in the same year they got the flu vaccine. But when asked if they were actually diagnosed with the flu, or if they simply had flu-like symptoms, they would likely say the latter.

CNN: Should children and pregnant women also get the flu vaccine?

Wen: absolutely. These are groups that can have particularly serious consequences, so getting the flu vaccine is very important.

1 study A flu vaccine was found to reduce a child’s risk of life-threatening severe flu by 75%. another They found that children’s flu-related emergency room visits were halved.

Similar results are seen in pregnant women. not only, Flu vaccine protects pregnant womenGetting vaccinated during pregnancy also helps protect your baby from influenza during the first few months of life. This is important because babies cannot get the flu vaccine until they are over 6 months old.

CNN: Can you get the flu from the vaccine?

Wen: no, flu vaccine inactivated vaccineThis means that it does not contain live viruses and therefore will not cause flu. It is also a very well-tolerated vaccine, and the most common side effect is that the injection site discomfort disappears in her one day.

CNN: If I get the Covid-19 vaccine, do I still need the flu vaccine?

Wen: yes. Different vaccines target different viruses. Covid vaccines can help protect against Covid, but they cannot protect against the flu and vice versa. Covid vaccine can be received (or bivalent booster) at a separate injection site at the same time as the flu vaccine.

CNN: Some people waited until later in the flu season to get their flu vaccine. is this a good idea?

Wen: At this time, no, because it is clear that the flu season will start earlier than usual. Cases are already high and it takes about two weeks after vaccination to reach optimal immune protection. For those who have not yet received the flu vaccine, it is recommended that they do so now.

CNN: What should I know about treating flu?

Wen: Most cases of influenza can be treated with symptomatic treatment. This means patients are rested, hydrated, and treated for symptoms. For example, fever reducers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.there is also antiviral therapy Available. These are very important for people who are at high risk for severe flu complications or who are very sick. The sooner such treatment, the better. The oral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) can also be given to low-risk patients within 48 hours of symptom onset.

I encourage everyone to plan for the flu, just as they should plan for Covid. Please consult. Know how to get tested and where you can get treatment, including after hours and on weekends.

CNN: How can I prevent getting the flu?

Wen: Influenza is mainly transmitted by droplets — When an infected person coughs or sneezes, these droplets can land on someone nearby. It is also possible that the droplets land on a surface, from where someone touches it, and then become infected after touching their nose, mouth, or eyes.

You can reduce the spread of the flu by staying away from others while you have symptoms. We all cough and sneeze into our elbows and tissues and should wash our hands frequently, including after touching high-touch surfaces. You should consider wearing a mask to reduce your chances of contracting viral illnesses such as the flu. Get vaccinated of course!