The influenza virus is highly contagious and can cause a serious viral respiratory infection that can even be fatal. Other viral respiratory illnesses normally have mild symptoms, and most people can continue working or going to school. However, when people have the flu, their symptoms are severe and last for days causing them to miss events. This can put a strain on the body and infections can develop as a result.

The Flu Vaccine is Your Best Defense

Super-infections, on the other hand, are bacterial infections that develop after a respiratory infection. Bacterial respiratory infections are also a significant sort of illness, and they can overwhelm the lungs’ ability to function correctly. Therefore, it can cause death among the elderly and young children.

Because of the severity of the diseases, time lost from work or school, and the possibility of mortality, the influenza vaccine is recommended to prevent the flu. There are different drugs to treat the flu, and they are more expensive than influenza vaccinations but are less effective.

What to Expect When You Get a Flu Shot

The flu vaccine is either an inactivated vaccine, which contains a killed influenza virus, or a vaccine, which was created without the use of any virus particles. The vaccine is injected into the skin, which stimulates the immune system to develop an anti-flu antibody.

The flu shot vaccination is given as a single dose of liquid that is injected intramuscularly into the skin. For safety and sterilization, healthcare providers inject the flu vaccine into the upper shoulder muscle on the side of the arm, then put rubbing alcohol over the area. Vaccines are given by healthcare providers every year in the fall.

The flu vaccine has very few side effects. A trivalent vaccination, which targets three strains of the flu virus, and a quadrivalent vaccine, which targets four strains, are both available.
In multiple trials, flu vaccination has been proven to lower the severity of disease in persons who have been vaccinated but still become ill. In a study published in 2021, adults who were vaccinated compared to adults who were not vaccinated had:

  • 26% reduced risk of ICU admission
  • 31% lower risk of flu death

The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine

For adults over the age of 65, special vaccination preparations are available that bring on a higher immune response, ensuring that they are less susceptible to the virus. The nasal spray flu vaccination was approved for the first time in 2003. It protects against the same viral strains as the flu shot, but it contains weakened live influenza viruses rather than destroyed viruses, and is delivered by nasal spray rather than injection. The vaccine is weakened and thin because the vaccine viruses have been weakened so that they do not produce severe flu symptoms.

The nasal flu vaccine is also licensed for use in non-pregnant people aged 2 to 50. It is not recommended for people who have specific medical issues. Mild symptoms, on the other hand, may arise as a result of the immunization. A runny nose, headache, sore throat, and cough are all possible side effects of the nasal flu vaccine. Mild fever and muscle aches are possible side effects of the vaccination for children.

COVID-19 Precautions Reduced Influenza Cases

Social distancing measures and mask-wearing were likely to reduce influenza rates, although it was uncertain how much. The CDC prioritized ensuring that people were up to speed on vaccine-preventable illnesses, which might enhance the healthcare system’s capacity and prevent influenza-related visits.

Influenza rates were markedly low during the 2020-2021 season, and at the end of the season, they were at an all-time low. The proportion of patient visits for influenza-like illness maintained between 0.8 and 1.6 percent between September 27, 2020, and June 19, 2021, far below the national baseline of 2.6 percent.

In comparison, 38 million instances of influenza were reported during the 2019-2020 influenza season, with a prevalence of roughly 6%, which was regarded as moderately severe. The low influenza rate in the 2020-2021 season was most likely due to social distancing and mask use.

Find out where to get a flu vaccine at https://www.thewellnesscoalition.org/flu/

Find out where to get a COVID-19 vaccine at https://www.thewellnesscoalition.org/covid/