Seasonal influenza is a disease that affects millions of people every year. The most favorable time for the disease is autumn and winter, when a person's immunity is weakened and does not cope with viruses so effectively. Different strains of viruses can cause the development of acute respiratory illness, but, despite the nature of the pathogen, the symptoms are very similar in all cases. The patient has a fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough and headache.
Influenza shot
In order to prevent the onset of many infectious diseases, vaccination is carried out. Since the discovery of the first vaccine, doctors have saved hundreds of millions of lives. Millions of people are vaccinated against influenza every year, because the vaccine is still considered the main preventive method in the fight against infections.
Sometimes potential patients have a question: do I need a flu shot? A vaccine is a weakened viral material that cannot reproduce in the body. When a person is injected with vaccine material, the set of proteins of which is identical to the active virus, his immune system begins to produce antibodies against this virus.
Vaccination time
It is best to get vaccinated against the flu in the fall (from September to November), because the epidemic of this disease at this time becomes widespread. Flu shots are given to children and adults. It is not recommended to vaccinate in the spring or summer, as the amount of antibodies decreases over time, and the effect of it is no longer so strong.
You can get a flu shot after the start of the epidemic. If the vaccination was carried out, and the next day the person was infected, then the vaccine will not worsen the course of the disease. The flu will be much worse if such a vaccination is not given, there is even a risk of serious complications.
Who needs the vaccine
Today, babies are already vaccinated from 6 months of age. There is a category of people who need a flu shot in the first place. In the zone of increased risk are the elderly, patients who are in hospital, pregnant women. Children and adolescents (from 6 months to 18 years of age) should be vaccinated, especially if they have used aspirin for a long time for the purpose of treatment. These patients may have severe complications from the flu. This category includes people with kidney, lung,hearts, with metabolic disorders, patients with immunodeficiency, with hemoglobulinopathy, with staphylococcal infection, as well as students and schoolchildren who are constantly in society.
Influenza shot: contraindications
The main material for the manufacture of vaccines are chicken embryos. Not every organism is susceptible to them, and there are a number of cases where the flu shot is not recommended. Contraindications apply primarily to those patients who suffer from an allergic reaction to chicken protein. Do not vaccinate people during an exacerbation of chronic diseases. Vaccination is undesirable for another two weeks after the final recovery, because the body is weakened and may not respond correctly.
Don't vaccinate patients with progressive forms of neurological disease, as well as those allergic to flu vaccines.
What is the flu?
The disease belongs to the category of acute viral infections, accompanied by a general infectious syndrome in a pronounced form and affects the respiratory tract. Not all patients are aware of the danger of this disease. In some cases, the flu begins with a cough, fever and runny nose, and can end in death of the patient. Statistics show that every year about 40 thousand people from developed countries die from the flu and its complications.
Types of influenza agent
The causative agent of the virus is divided into three independent types: A, B andC. The constant mutation of the virus, which leads to a change in its antigenic structure, leads to the fact that qualitatively new varieties of the influenza virus actively appear and multiply. The danger for the population lies in the fact that immunity to them in the human body has not yet developed, so the virus infects the patient and can cause unpredictable complications. The transmission of the influenza virus from a sick person is carried out by airborne droplets, which allows it to spread to all categories of the population.
Influenza type A instantly spreads over vast areas and is pandemic or epidemic. The local spread of type B influenza virus makes it possible to detect its individual outbreaks and take timely measures. Type C flu causes sporadic outbreaks of infections.
Vaccination benefits
Vaccination helps the body develop strong immunity, which will help to avoid contracting the flu. Even if a vaccinated person catches an infection, then his disease proceeds without complications and in a milder form than in those who refused to vaccinate. Specific prophylaxis is carried out with live and inactivated vaccines. Influenza vaccination for children over three years of age is of domestic origin. Imported vaccines, which have all the necessary licenses, are intended for children aged 6 to 12 months.
Maximum antibodies are reached 14 days after vaccination. The annual vaccination is explained by the fact that the vaccine provides the body withshort-term immunity (6-12 months). Vaccination should be carried out before and during the epidemic season.
Influenza Vaccines
Vaccines aimed at fighting influenza are divided into several types. The first is live vaccines. They are made from strains of the virus that are safe for humans. When administered intranasally, they contribute to the development of local immunity. Vaccination is carried out before the start of the epidemic period. Live vaccines differ depending on whether they are intended for children or adults.
Persons over 7 years of age are given inactivated vaccines. It is a concentrated and purified influenza virus grown in chicken embryos and inactivated by UV radiation and formalin. Inactivated vaccines include influenza liquid chromatographic, centrifuge and eluate-centrifuge.
Subunit and split vaccines have domestic and imported varieties. These include drugs such as Grippol, Agrippal, Begrivak, Vaxigrip, Influvac, Fluarix.
Vaccination refusal
More and more people are refusing to get vaccinated. This is explained by the fact that often after a flu shot, undesirable reactions of the body to the material occur. Illiterate introduction, poor quality of the vaccine or non-compliance with the rules after vaccination leads to the fact that complications arise. Another reason for refusing vaccinations is that parents consider it harmful to their he alth.baby.
You can refuse all vaccinations or a specific one. Refusal of the flu vaccination must be justified and the employees of the polyclinic should be notified of this decision.
There are a number of cases where medical professionals confirm that the flu shot is undesirable. Contraindications relate primarily to the state of he alth of the child when he has suffered an injury or is sick. But after the baby's condition returns to normal, the vaccine will still have to be done.
To refuse vaccination, you must write a special application in two copies (one for yourself, and the second for a school, kindergarten or clinic). The application must be registered in the journal of documents of the institution, it must have: deciphered signature, number, document number, seal. It is also worth remembering that not vaccinating is a decision to take responsibility for the diseases that are being vaccinated against.
Consequences of not vaccinating
It is not always the right decision for parents to refuse the flu shot (sample below). Preventive vaccinations are protected by law, and their absence makes life difficult for citizens. So, they are prohibited from traveling to countries that require specific vaccinations. Citizens may be temporarily denied admission to he alth or educational institutions, especially if there is a threat of epidemics or infectious diseases. In the absence of the necessary vaccinations, citizens have problems in hiring, where there is a risk of infectioninfectious diseases. In other words, unvaccinated children and adults are not allowed in the team if there is a suspicion of an epidemic.
Effects of the flu shot
Influenza shot, contraindications to which have already been studied quite carefully, can also adversely affect human he alth. It's about side effects. Before you get vaccinated, you need to undergo an examination and consult a doctor. Maximum caution should be exercised in the case of vaccination of children, pregnant women and the elderly. Vaccination does not save from all diseases (in this case, from the flu) at all, but it significantly reduces the possibility of infection. Late vaccination can lead to influenza. But even in this case, it will be much easier to transfer the disease than to refuse the vaccine.
After vaccination, allergic reactions and chronic diseases may worsen. To avoid this, you need to warn the doctor about their presence. Only he althy children should be vaccinated, because even a slight runny nose during vaccination can result in insomnia for the child, loss of concentration and a decrease in immunity. You also need to follow the rules of vaccination care in order to avoid local skin problems. If the body somehow reacted to previous vaccinations, then the next ones should be discarded.
