What you need to know about the flu shot

BY ISABELLA MARCON

During the 2017-2018 flu season, 80,000 Americans died of the flu while 900,000 were hospitalized, a record-breaking year for flu season severity. The 2018-2019 flu season is here and what Americans don’t know about the flu vaccine could kill them.

The first line of defense against the flu is the flu vaccine. Medical providers are encouraging everyone to get their flu vaccination this year, so that it might be maximally effective during the peak of flu season.

The most important thing for people to understand about the flu shot is that, if we are able to vaccinate the people who are likely to give it to the people [who] are at the highest risk of dying, that’s how we can save lives.”

“The more people that can get vaccinated to protect themselves against the virus, [the better the] chance of avoiding the flu and the deadly complications that come with it, especially the younger people and the older population,” registered nurse Lesley Johnson said.

Even with a healthy immune system, the flu vaccine is considered to be the most effective way to combat the influenza virus.

“The flu is so readily spread that people who are well and are at lower risks of dying from the flu are the ones that spread it to the most vulnerable populations,” cardiologist Dr. Jennifer Cooke said. “The most important thing for people to understand about the flu shot is that, if we are able to vaccinate the people who are likely to give it to the people [who] are at the highest risk of dying, that’s how we can save lives.”

“These special formulations are three to 10 percent more effective for those 65 and older,” professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Paul Offit said.

Viruses adapt and evolve quickly. Vaccines are developed in advance of flu season and represent an educated guess about which virus will be the most communicable as well as the best manner to combat it. Even when a flu vaccine does not perfectly match the most common flu during flu season, it still assists in combating the flu severity and shortening the time needed to recover.

“The flu shot vaccine takes the most popular strain from the previous year and that’s what you’re inoculated against,” Johnson said. “The flu itself tends to mutate and change, but a majority of the vaccine will still cover you for that.”

This year, there are currently six flu vaccines widely available. The type of flu shot that is most appropriate largely depends on age. People that are 65 years or older tend to have weakened immune systems; therefore, the high-dose shot or the shot with adjuvant, an immune booster, is thought to be the best line of defense.

“These special formulations are three to 10 percent more effective for those 65 and older,” professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Paul Offit said. “Both are currently offered only in trivalent formulations.”

For people that normally avoid the shot due to a fear of needles, there is a nasal spray version of the vaccine.

For most everyone else from 6 months old to 65 years old, the best shot is thought to be the quadrivalent shot. In the event that the quadrivalent shot is unavailable, it is best to get a trivalent shot and have some coverage rather than to wait for the quadrivalent shot to become available.

For people that normally avoid the shot due to a fear of needles, there is a nasal spray version of the vaccine.

Every flu season, people are encouraged to take measures to protect themselves– and their loved ones– by getting the flu shot. Although some years are better than others, last year was one of the deadliest. By becoming informed about the flu vaccine, Americans can take steps to avoid hospital stays, hospital bills and even death.

Photo by Carly Cuoco