Flu Vaccination

Why vaccinate for flu?
Flu (or common flu) is medically referred to as influenza. It is a viral infection that develops primarily in the lungs thereby affecting the whole respiratory system. It is usually spread from person to person through secretions of the nose and lungs.  

Generally, the stretch across November and April is known as the flu season. However, most of the cases occur between late December and early March. Therefore, it is advisable to take the flu vaccine between September and mid-November. Though, it can also be taken at other times of the year, administration of the vaccine before the flu season gives the body a chance to build up the required immunity that protects it from the flu virus.

Flu is a very common illness. Every year in the US, about 5 to 20% of the population gets flu, 200,000 plus people are hospitalized due to flu complications, and about 36,000 people die from these flu complications. Effective flu vaccination at the right time can reduce these numbers and give people a better chance at fighting it off.

What is flu vaccine?
The flu vaccines are of two types:

The flu shot,
The nasal sprayflu vaccine.  

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The seasonal flu vaccine contains three influenza viruses, one A (H3N2) virus, one regular seasonal A (H1N1) virus (not the 2009 H1N1 virus), and one B virus. However, the viruses in the vaccine are changed every year on the basis of international surveillance and scientists' estimations regarding the types and strains of viruses. It takes about two weeks from the vaccination for the antibodies that protects the body against influenza virus infection to fully develop.

Who should receive the flu vaccine?
Flu vaccines should be given to the following groups of people to protect them from flu and complications arising from flu:

People who should not receive the flu vaccine?
Read more about the People who should not receive the flu vaccine.

Flu vaccine side effects
Read more about the side effects of flu vaccination.