Ghosts and witches aren’t the only scary things we see in October. We’re at the start of Flu season which for many families will mean one to two weeks of missed work and school. They will be fighting high fevers, body aches, sore throats, and belly pain. They will struggle to keep their family comfortable and hydrated. They will feel miserable. But it’s not just the misery and missed school days that can be frightening.
Every year, over 100,000 people in America are hospitalized because of flu-related illness. About 20,000 of those people will be children less than 5 years old. At this point, some of you are probably thinking, “here goes another doctor pushing the flu shot”. Well you would be right! While it’s difficult to get an exact number of people that die from flu every year, it is estimated to be about 36,000 people. Since only infant and children deaths (not adult deaths) attributed to flu infection are required to be reported to the agencies that track such statistics, adult/elderly deaths can only be estimated. Children, people with chronic illnesses, and the elderly are more likely to have severe complications from the flu virus and end up hospitalized.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that last year, during our “mild” flu season, 85 children died from the flu. This is down from the 100-200 deaths reported in each prior year; still not low enough in my opinion. It is recommended that EVERYONE receive a flu shot. This includes children 6 months old to 18 years old, healthy adults, elderly adults, and pregnant women. Those of you paying attention will note I said everyone should get a flu SHOT. This flu season, the nasal spray form of the vaccine, FluMist, is not recommended due to poor efficacy in the past three flu seasons.
Here are some common myths that usually prevent people from getting the flu vaccine:
1. “It will make me sick.” Now that the flu shot is made from dead flu virus, it can no longer cause the dreaded flu-like illness afterward. It is just like any other shot. There is the possibility of local muscle pain or low-grade fever for a few days after, but nothing that will keep you away from everyday life. This is much better than the 5-7 days of high fever and severe muscle pains that occur with flu illness.
2. “It doesn’t work.” Most flu vaccines now protect against four strains of the influenza virus (two A strains and two B strains). The strains that are chosen to be in the shot are picked based on the past flu season and predictions for possible epidemics. Some years the strains are chosen wisely and the vaccine covers us well. In fact, the past two seasons have been milder than previous years with the strains matching up. Other years the vaccine may not cover the exact strain. It doesn’t matter, you are still better protected WITH the flu vaccine than without one. And since there are no major side effects associated with the shot, why not get one?
3. “I’ve never gotten the flu before.” This implies that you will also never get the flu in the future. Though I wish a flu-free future for everyone, just as we cannot predict when an accident will occur, we can’t predict when the flu bug will bite. The best practice is to help protect against flu transmission by getting the vaccine. You not only protect yourself, you protect others around you.
4. “I’m allergic to eggs so I can’t get the flu vaccine.” In fact, this year’s recommendations from the CDC say that unless you have a severe reaction to eggs it is safe for you to receive a flu shot. People who have had reactions such as hives, persistent vomiting, difficulty breathing, and facial swelling are all safe to receive a flu shot. Even if you’ve needed to use an EpiPen in the past for your egg allergy, it is safe. The vaccine should be given by someone who can recognize and treat allergic reactions (i.e. clinics, doctor’s offices, health departments).
So, get your flu shots this season and let the only scary thing in your home be the amount of candy your kids rake in on Halloween! *Steps off of soap box.
