Getting an influenza vaccination is not only a matter of self protection. Individuals who receive a flu shot also help ensure that they are less likely to spread the virus to coworkers, housemates, and others around them.
Influenza affects people of all ages. Outbreaks of the flu can spread rapidly through a community as infected individuals unknowingly affect the health of others. A somewhat unique characteristic of influenza is that it can be transmitted by individuals who display no outward flu symptoms.
Asymptomatic carriers
Extreme muscle fatigue is one of the primary symptoms of influenza. During flu season, you may be surprised to observe normally healthy persons struggle to lift themselves to a sitting position. However, many individuals infected by influenza experience no such symptoms and are referred to as asymptomatic carriers.
A study published in a prominent medical journal found that up to three-quarters of influenza infections were asymptomatic. The study implies that many infected individuals may never even realize that they are capable of transmitting the flu virus. Consequently, asymptomatic carriers unknowingly pose a risk to others.
Range of severity
Influenza physically affects individuals to varying degrees. Otherwise healthy individuals typically experience muscle soreness, along with respiratory discomfort. Unfortunately, many persons die of influenza. The severity of the influenza strain also varies from year to year. The unusually virulent influenza pandemic of 1918 resulted in the deaths of about 21 million people worldwide.
Vaccine recommendations
The CDC recommends an annual flu shot for all individuals except children under six months of age. The flu shot is inactivated, so it does not itself present a risk of getting the flu. For maximum effectiveness, a flu shot should be received well before the flu season begins.
Your body creates natural antibodies in response to the flu vaccine. It takes about two weeks for the antibodies to build up to the point of providing an increased level of protection from the virus. Another medical study found that the receiving the vaccine may lessen the symptoms experienced by individuals who actually develop an obvious case of influenza.
Higher dose for age 65 and over
Older adults are more susceptible to influenza due to declines in immune system function. The CDC reports that a high-dose flu vaccine may be more effective in stimulating antibody production in older adults.The high-dose vaccine is delivered via a syringe. Contact a health clinic for more information on receiving a flu shot this season.
Share23 November 2016
I am a mother of four wonderful children, and like other parents, I have been to my fair share of health care clinics. It seems like my children are always getting scrapes and coming down with colds. When I was a new parent, I never knew whether I should take my injured or ill child to the emergency room or local urgent care facility. I received some simple advice from a seasoned parent that made my decisions easier that I want to pass onto all new parents, along with other health tips I've learned. he told me that she tended to take her children to the ER when they were bleeding or had very high temperatures and took them to the local urgent care for any other problem. I have followed her advice ever since, and my children remain healthy and happy!
