5 Reasons You Should Really Get a Flu Vaccination This Year

Doctors and health professionals have no way of predicting what will happen this fall if COVID-19 and the flu are epidemic in the United States at the same time. But they have an urgent message. Get a flu shot.

Experts say you should be vaccinated this year, even if you have never been vaccinated before.

“This year, if we don’t do the right thing, the flu can come at a much greater cost.”

Wearing mask, Hand wash, storage 6 feet Staying away from others to avoid COVID-19 is a step you can take that also helps protect you from the flu. But some are still flu and COVID-19 is still with us.

Will both viruses surge, mix in the emergency room, and put a strain on medical resources when doctors try to take care of everyone?

“Usually for people who haven’t been vaccinated against the flu, I say that the coronavirus makes this year another story,” he says. Matthew Grant, Infectious disease specialist at Yale University School of Medicine.

Doctors are already preparing for more illnesses that may occur this season, as the flu alone fills many hospital beds in a normal year. “This year, if we don’t do the right thing, the flu can come at a much greater cost.”

Children also need to be vaccinated Caitlin Hansen, Pediatric infectious disease specialist. “I sound like a broken record, but one of the things you can do is Influenza vaccination.. It’s the best we have in our toolbox for the flu. “

Based on reports of low influenza cases in Australia and other countries just below the equator (the virus peaks in winter (our summer)), US public health experts want a milder season I’m out. But no one knows for sure. There are many influenza viruses, and the main viruses are constantly changing.

Vaccine manufacturers have increased their supply and are producing enough influenza vaccines for record 1944-19.8 million doses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults and children aged 6 months or older be vaccinated in September or October (although the vaccine will be vaccinated until the end of the season in March 2021. Will be available at).

Standard dose shots, high dose shots for people over 65 years old, shots made with virus propagated in cell culture (safe for people with egg allergies), and attenuated live given by There are several vaccination options, such as vaccines Nasal spray (2 to 49 years old).

Still have questions? There are five reasons to consider getting the flu vaccine this year.

1. Influenza vaccination controls both influenza and COVID-19, which helps to avoid potential system expansion.

“Influenza can lead to bed shortages in hospitals,” says Grant, even in years without threats like COVID-19. Yale University has participated in an extensive program on the potential for “colds” that can result from serious outbreaks of both COVID-19 and influenza. Some doctors say that the scenario is to treat all patients first as COVID-19 and isolate them until they are tested and diagnosed.

“It takes a lot of work to respond to the epidemiology of outbreaks in the community and find the best way to meet the needs of patients,” says Grant. “A mere 10% increase in the infection rate of either influenza or coronavirus will affect how healthcare professionals respond.”

In addition, avoiding the flu can protect others, Grant says. He says the flu is transmitted 48 hours before an infected person develops symptoms, so it can be spread to others before you know you have it.

2. Influenza vaccination can reduce the confusion of symptoms.

Influenza and COVID-19 share many symptoms. You can always contact your doctor if your symptoms are confusing, but if you’ve been vaccinated against the flu, it’s easy to understand what that means.

“There is a lot of duplication,” says Hansen. “I think it’s a challenge for us to distinguish between these illnesses. Vaccination against the flu doesn’t mean that someone couldn’t get the flu, but did the patient get the flu during the pandemic? Knowing whether or not is important information. “

Both viruses can cause a range of mild to severe illnesses. According to the CDC, both influenza and COVID-19 can cause the following symptoms:

• Fever or fever / chills
• cough
• Shortness of breath or dyspnea
• Fatigue
• sore throat
• Runny nose or stuffy nose
• Muscle and body pain
• headache
• Some people can have vomiting and diarrhea, which is more common in children than in adults

However, keep in mind that loss of taste and odor is a symptom of COVID-19 that does not occur with influenza.

3. Greater protection from worst-case scenarios is possible.

Preventive measures such as social distance already applied to COVID-19 can help prevent influenza.

“We know from years of experience with influenza that there are things that can interfere with the transmission. Surgical masks, along with hand washing, are a major way to reduce the spread of influenza in the hospital.” Says Grant.

However, influenza vaccines are considered the most important tool for preventing influenza and are a strategy for indirectly preventing COVID-19. ” emergency room It’s a place where you’re at risk of being exposed to the coronavirus, “says Grant.

Influenza vaccination can also protect people from COVID-19 in other ways. Doctors don’t know if they are more likely to get COVID-19 when they get the flu, or vice versa. However, influenza infection has been shown to increase vulnerability to bacterial infections such as pneumonia. They can’t even say what happens if someone gets infected with both the flu and COVID-19.

“We don’t really know, but you might imagine that the two viruses work synergistically and can make you more ill.”

4. Bad flu can be life-threatening.

While the COVID-19 illness and mortality statistics are alarming, the number of people who are seriously affected by the flu alone is also formidable. An estimated 35.5 million people got the flu during the 2018-2019 season. Many had cases that were calm enough to take care of themselves at home. However, according to the CDC, 16.5 million people consulted health care providers, 490,600 were hospitalized and 34,200 died. “People who have had the flu before know how bad it can be,” says Grant.

According to the CDC, the flu vaccine prevented an estimated 4.4 million influenza-related illnesses, 2.3 million outpatients, 58,000 hospitalizations, and 3,500 deaths during the same period.

Like COVID-19, Senior citizens The risk of flu complications is highest, but young and healthy people also get serious illness. “A perfectly healthy teenager or the flu may be so severe that he may need to be ventilated or even died, says Grant.

Hansen also said: “Younger children get the flu worse, get very sick, and sometimes in hospitals and intensive care units. Even if they are healthy, it becomes a very serious illness for them. There is a possibility.”

5. Vaccines are effective even if they are not 100% effective.

It is true that the effectiveness of influenza vaccines varies from year to year. (Research shows that the most effective flu reduces the risk of flu by 40-60%.) However, if the vaccine turns out to be one of those who get sick, the flu is mild. Therefore, the possibility of hospitalization is low.

Contrary to what some people think, we don’t vaccinate against the flu Give fluHowever, some have mild flu-like reactions such as akines and fever. Another myth is that influenza vaccination can protect against COVID-19. That’s not possible, but scientists are currently testing over 35 potential vaccines for the new coronavirus in clinical trials and find one that can be considered safe and effective enough for general use. I’m expecting that.

Where and how to get the flu vaccine may change this year depending on the pandemic. If you don’t know where to go, contact your doctor or VaccineFinder, CDC’s recommended online tool to help you find a vaccination site near your home.

Source: Kathy Katella Yale University