Flu vaccine or flu shots-types, benefits, side effects and all information

What is flu? What is Influenza? What is flu vaccine? Who should get vaccinated? Types of flu vaccines, Can I get the flu from the flu vaccine? Side effects of flu vaccine, Risk of Influenza, Treatment of flu or influenza, what is Fluzone Quadrivalent vaccine? What is sanofi flu vaccine? Today you will surely find answers of all the doubts coming in your minds about flu or influenza.

What is flu? What is Influenza?

Now a day, maximum people are getting influenza or the flu, which causes headaches, runny nose, cough and muscle pain because of changing weather especially in coastal area. This viral infection is self-limiting, with severe illness lasting for two to three days and most people recovering within a week after using non-prescription medicines for fever and pain.

Every season, influenza does more damage than most people realize. It can affect your child or parent, a friend or family member, a colleague or loved one. And even though we have the power to protect against it, people are still needlessly suffering and dying. Influenza is so underestimated that it seriously impacts the lives of millions, entire economies and society as a whole (Source https://www.sanofiflu.com).

As per the WHO4 reports influenza kills up to 650,000 people every year with most deaths occurring from pneumonia, heart or brain inflammation and circulatory shock from organs not getting enough blood or oxygen. The flu spreads easily among people in close contact or in contained spaces, such as classrooms, offices and public transport.

As per the article published in Reputed Indian News Paper “In 2018, India has confirmed 5,651 cases and 464 deaths from H1N1, the predominant flu strain across states, till October 7. 2018”. One example published in the same new paper “On September 5, 2018 an Emirates Airline flight from Dubai was quarantined for hours at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York after 100 passengers and crew members complained of cough and fever.

Suspecting they could have a serious respiratory illness called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), all the ill passengers were tested for a range of diseases. They were diagnosed with influenza, no one had MERS” (Source hindustantimes.com)

Most people are unaware that flu can raise the risk of having a heart attack. A recent study found that the risk is six times higher in the first seven days after having the flu, and is particularly high in people aged 65 years and older1. The flu stresses our bodies, including our heart, and there is a considerable inflammatory response that is believed to play an important role in producing such catastrophic events.2, 3   

As per Dr. Saranya “In India, the flu season is from September to February. We advise children between six months and five years be vaccinated two to four weeks before the season starts,” Dr Saranya advises parents to observe some precautionary measures.

First of all she prescribed to maintain hygiene as the influenza or other virus spreads through air and contact with contaminated object. So washing hand is must. She also added “that children should be taught to sneeze into their shirt sleeves or shoulder instead of their palms as most of them do not wash their hands after they sneeze.”

She also advises parents to keep children away from crowded or closed spaces. When it comes to the care of senior citizens, gerontologist Dr Rahul Padmanabhan, Medical Director, Grand World Elder Care, suggests they take the flu shot “since the older people have lower immunity and are vulnerable.”

What is Fluzone Quadrivalent  vaccine? What is sanofi flu vaccine?

What is  Fluzone Quadrivalent  vaccine? What is sanofi flu vaccine?
source: https://sanofiflu.com/

9 things to know about the flu shot or flu vaccine

9 things to know about the flu shot or flu vaccine
Source: The Hindu
What is flu vaccine? Who should get vaccinated? Types of flu vaccines
What is flu vaccine? Who should get vaccinated? Types of flu vaccines
Source:abbott.in

References

1. Kwong, J, et al. (2018) Acute Myocardial Infarction After Laboratory Confirmed Influenza Infection. The New England Journal of Medicine, 378(4):345-353

2. Niroshan Siriwardena, A. (2012) Increasing Evidence That Influenza Is a Trigger for Cardiovascular Disease, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 206(11):1636–1638

3.  Madjid, M et al. (2004) Influenza and cardiovascular disease: is there a causal relationship? Texas Heart Institute journal, 31(1):4-13

4. WHO – Fact-sheet Influenza (seasonal) http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal) Last accessed April 2019

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