What is flu? What are the symptoms?
Flu, which can be sometimes called Seasonal flu, causes usually in the winter season. It’s an infectious disease. The common symptoms are cold with a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, fever, headache, chills, extreme tiredness, and pains in the joints and muscles. Mostly, the infected one can recover on 2 to 7 days, but for some, it may lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death.
What causes flu?
Flu infects the windpipe and lungs and it is caused by influenza viruses. And because it’s caused by viruses and not bacteria, antibiotics won’t treat it. Even there are some complications caused by flu, sometimes antibiotics may be needed.
How to catch flu and avoid it?
When a person is infected with flu and coughs or sneezes, the saliva can be spread over a wide area. When the other persons breathed in or touched the surface area where the droplets are landed, they might be infected. The virus spreading can be avoided by covering the mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, washing hands properly. The best way to avoid spreading flu is by having a vaccination.
How can we protect against the flu?
To protect against flu, vaccination is the best way. The most likely viruses that will cause flu are identified in advance of the flu season and vaccines are then made to match them as closely as possible. However, there is always a risk of a change in the virus. From the last ten years, the vaccine has generally been a good match for the protection from spreading.
What harm can the flu do?
Not all persons suffering from cold, have affected by the flu. Flu is much worse than cold. The person who suffers from flu needs to stay in bed for some days. Some may have the risk of developing serious illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis or even existing conditions worse. In the worst cases, it may result in death. Flu vaccines help to protect against the virus.
How to know if a person is at increased risk from the effects of flu?
Flu can affect anyone, but even a person feels that the condition be well managed, it might worsen the health condition. The person has to get a free flu vaccine if the person is pregnant or having long term conditions like:
- • Heart Problem.
- • Bronchitis or Asthma.
- • Kidney Diseases.
- • Low immunity.
- • Liver Disease.
- • Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA).
- • Sickle-cell Disease.
- • Overweight (BMI > 40)
By having the vaccination, there can be chances of reducing the spread of flu to other people.
Who should consider having a flu vaccination?
The vaccination can be done for all those who have the above conditions or
- • The persons who are aged 65 or above.
- • Disabled person.
- • Living in a residential or nursing home.
- • Pregnant woman.
- • Social care worker.
- • Children of a certain age
I had the flu vaccination last year. Do I need another one this year?
The vaccination should be done every winter to have protection against the strains of flu. Because the conditions may be different when compared with the previous year. The flu vaccine may last about 6 months only.
Can the person who has flu, need a vaccination?
Yes; the person who has flu can take a vaccination as it helps not to spread to others.
What about the children? Do they need vaccination?
The child with above 6 months’ age having the conditions mentioned above, should have a vaccination. The flu vaccination won’t work well for the babies under 6 months’ age. That’s why the pregnant woman should have vaccination compulsorily which helps in passing some immunity to their baby and protect them from flu.
Do pregnant ladies have to take vaccination?
Of course Yes, all pregnant women must have the flu vaccination to protect themselves and even their babies. The vaccination can be given at any stage of pregnancy. Pregnant woman having the flu vaccine can have benefits like
- • Reducing the risk complications like pneumonia, mainly in the later stages of pregnancy.
- • Reduce the complications like the baby born soon or with low weight.
- • For the first six months of a born baby may have immunity.
- • Reduce the chance of pregnant women passes flu to her baby.
What to do if a pregnant woman has flu?
If a pregnant woman has the symptoms of flu, immediately approach the doctors' team. She can also get flu-free vaccination. Some groups of children are given vaccination to prevent the spread of flu to their parents or friends or any neighbours.
Can the flu vaccine be given to the child at the same time as other vaccines?
The flu vaccine can be given at the same time as all other vaccines. The vaccination can be given if the child has some minor illness.
Is there anyone who is not needed to have the vaccination?
Everyone can have the vaccination, but the person should not have the vaccination if he/she has conditions like having serious allergy due to vaccines, allergic to eggs, having low immunity, having a fever.
What about the children?
Children should not have the vaccination if they have conditions like
- • Have wheezy since past 3 days.
- • Are severely asthmatic.
- • Have a condition like low immunity.
- • Allergic to eggs
Does the nasal vaccine contain gelatin derived from pigs (porcine gelatine)?
Yes. The nasal vaccine contains a highly processed form of gelatin (porcine gelatin), which is used in a range of many essential medicines. The gelatin helps to keep the vaccine viruses stable which makes the vaccine provide the best protection against flu.
Can’t the child have the injected vaccine that doesn’t contain gelatin?
The nasal vaccine provides the best protection from flu, mainly in young children. It also helps to reduce the risk to their parents or baby brother or sister. But the injected vaccine cannot offer all these. Who have a high risk of flu and can’t have the nasal flu vaccine, they can have the flu vaccine by injection.
How long will the person be protected?
The vaccine protects for about 6 months.
Will the flu vaccine protect the person completely?
Flu is caused generally in winters. The vaccination lasts for 6 months only. And the flu virus risks may be different or change from year to year.
Will there be any side effects?
Some of the side effects of the nasal vaccine are- • Runny or blocked nose.
- • Loss of appetite;
- • Headache
- • Low-grade fever.
- • Muscles aching for one or two days.
Summary of who are recommended to have the flu vaccine
The vaccination is recommended to the people.
- • Aging 65 or above.
- • Pregnant woman.
- • Children of ages 2 and 3.
- • Children studying primary classes (Up to 5th Class).
- • Who takes care of disabled or old age people.
- • Social care workers.