Flu vaccine: Your best choice anti- influenza

November 03, 2020

Flu vaccine: Your best choice anti- influenza

This year's annual flu shot will offer protection against three or four of the influenza viruses expected to be in circulation this flu season. A high-dose flu vaccine also as a further vaccine also are going to be available for adults age 65 and older.

Influenza may be a respiratory tract infection which will cause serious complications, particularly in young children, older adults and other people with certain medical conditions. Getting an influenza vaccine — though not 100% effective — is that the best thanks to prevent the misery of the flu and its complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination for everybody age 6 months or older.

Here are the answers to common questions on flu shots:

When is that the flu vaccine available?

Private manufacturers make the flu vaccine and take about six months to supply it. the supply of the flu vaccine depends on when production is completed. But generally, shipments begin sometime in August within the us . Doctors and nurses may begin vaccinating people as soon because the flu vaccine is out there in their areas.

It takes up to 2 weeks to create immunity after a flu shot, but you'll enjoy the vaccine albeit you do not catch on until after the flu season starts. it's always best for people within the us to urge their flu vaccine in September and October, and aim to urge it by the top of October. However, you'll still protect yourself against late flu outbreaks if you get the vaccine in February or later.

Why do i want to urge vaccinated every year?
Because flu viruses evolve so quickly, last year's vaccine might not protect you from this year's viruses. New flu vaccines are released per annum to stay up with rapidly adapting flu viruses.

When you get vaccinated, your system produces antibodies to guard you from the viruses included within the vaccine. But antibody levels may decline over time — one more reason to urge a flu shot per annum .

Who should get the flu vaccine?

The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccinations for everybody age 6 months or older. Vaccination is particularly important for people at high risk of influenza complications, including:

Pregnant women
Older adults
Young children
Children between 6 months and eight years may have two doses of the flu vaccine, given a minimum of four weeks apart, the primary time they're given a flu vaccine. then , they will receive single annual doses of the flu vaccine. A 2017 study showed that the vaccine significantly reduces a child's risk of dying of the flu. ask your child's doctor.

Chronic medical conditions can also increase your risk of influenza complications. Examples include:

Asthma
Cancer or cancer treatment
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Cystic fibrosis
Diabetes
HIV/AIDS
Kidney or disease
Obesity
Anyone with a chronic medical condition should get the flu vaccine.

Check with your doctor before receiving a flu vaccine if:

You had a severe reaction to a previous flu vaccine. The flu vaccine isn't recommended for anyone who had a severe reaction to a previous flu vaccine. ask your doctor first, though. Some reactions won't be associated with the vaccine.
If you've got an egg allergy, you'll still receive the flu vaccine.

What are my flu vaccine delivery options?

The flu vaccine are going to be available as an injection or as a nasal spray. In recent years, there was concern that the nasal spray flu vaccine wasn't effective enough against certain sorts of flu. The nasal spray vaccine is predicted to be simpler within the 2020-2021 season.

The nasal spray vaccine is approved for people between 2 and 49 years old.

The nasal flu vaccine isn't recommended for a few people, including:

Children under 2

Adults 50 and older
Pregnant women
Children between 2 and 17 years old who are taking aspirin or a salicylate-containing medication
People with weakened immune systems
Kids 2 to 4 years old who have had asthma or wheezing within the past 12 months
There are other groups advised to take care about the utilization of a nasal spray flu vaccine, like people with certain chronic medical conditions. ask your doctor to ascertain if you would like to take care about getting a nasal spray flu vaccine.

The flu vaccine also can be delivered by an injection that's usually given during a muscle within the arm. If you're an adult under 65, you'll also choose an in-the-skin (intradermal) vaccine, otherwise you may like better to have your vaccine delivered employing a jet injector device, which uses a high-pressure, narrow stream of fluid to penetrate the skin rather than a needle.

Can the vaccine give me the flu or other respiratory diseases?
No. The flu vaccine can't offer you the flu. It also doesn't increase your risk of COVID-19. But you would possibly develop flu-like symptoms — despite getting a flu vaccine — for a spread of reasons, including:

Reaction to the vaccine. Some people experience muscle aches and a fever for each day or two after receiving a flu vaccine. this might be a side effect of your body's production of protective antibodies.
The two-week window. It takes about fortnight for the flu shot to require full effect. If you're exposed to the influenza virus shortly before or during that point period, you would possibly catch the flu.
Mismatched flu viruses. In some years, the influenza viruses used for the vaccine don't match the viruses circulating during the flu season. If this happens , your flu shot are going to be less effective, but should offer some protection.
Other illnesses. Many other illnesses, like the cold , also produce flu-like symptoms. So you'll think you've got the flu once you actually don't.
What quite protection does the flu vaccine offer?
How well the flu vaccine works to guard you from the flu can vary. The flu vaccine is usually simpler among people under 65 years old. Some older people and other people with certain medical conditions may develop less immunity after receiving a flu shot.

Reviews of past studies have found that the flu vaccine is about 50% to 60% effective for healthy adults who are between 18 and 64 years old. The vaccine may sometimes be less effective.

Even when the vaccine doesn't completely prevent the flu, it's going to lessen the severity of your illness, and reduce the danger of great complications and high illness requiring hospitalization.

The flu vaccine doesn't protect you from getting COVID-19. However, it's especially important to urge the flu vaccine this season because the flu and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cause similar symptoms. Flu vaccination could reduce symptoms which may be confused with those caused by COVID-19. Preventing the flu and reducing the severity of flu illness and hospitalizations could also lessen the amount of individuals wanting to stay within the hospital.

Can I lower my risk of the flu without getting a flu shot?
The flu vaccine is your best defense against the flu, but there are additional steps you'll fancy help protect yourself from the flu and other viruses, including COVID-19. These steps include the following:

Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
Use an alcohol-based sanitizer on your hands if soap and water aren't available.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Avoid crowds when the flu is spreading in your area.
Avoid being in close contact with others who are sick.
Cover your mouth with a tissue or your elbow once you cough or sneeze, then wash your hands.
Regularly clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces, like counters, light switches or doorknobs. this will help to stop spread of infection from touching a surface with the virus thereon then your face.
Practice healthiness habits. Get regular exercise, get enough sleep, drink many fluids, eat a healthy diet, and manage your stress.
If you become sick with the flu, you'll also help prevent the spread of the flu by staying home and faraway from others. Continue staying home until your fever has been gone for a minimum of 24 hours.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, both COVID-19 and therefore the flu could also be spreading at an equivalent time. Your local health department and therefore the CDC may suggest additional precautions to scale back your risk of COVID-19 or the flu, like practicing social distancing and keeping 6 feet (2 meters) faraway from anyone outside your household. you furthermore may may have to wear a cloth mask when publicly , especially when it's hard to take care of distance.

Getting your flu vaccine can reduce your risk of the flu and its complications, and following these precautions can help protect you from the flu or other respiratory illnesses.

Flu vaccine: Your best choice anti- influenza