What is it for?
The seasonal flu vaccine is a preparation containing some surface proteins of the most common influenza viruses during the winter season.
These proteins act as “antigens“, stimulating the immune system and instructing it to react promptly in case of encounter with influenza viruses present in the environment.
Its intake allows the body to defend itself more efficiently from infection, avoiding developing the classic flu symptoms (high fever, cold, cough, sore throat and gastrointestinal disorders in children) or, in any case, to suffer from it in a much milder way than would happen if you had not been vaccinated.
To be effectively protected from influenza it is essential to take every year the new seasonal vaccine available in pharmacies, developed on the basis of information on circulating viral strains collected by the Global influenza surveillance network of the World Health Organization (WHO).
How it should be given
In adults and children already vaccinated for the first time, a single dose of seasonal flu vaccine is sufficient to achieve an adequate level of protection.
The vaccine is given as an injection into the deltoid muscle (upper arm) in adults and children over 9 years of age and into the anterolateral thigh in younger children and infants.
Who should take it
Flu vaccination is the most effective and safe preventive strategy to protect against the flu and, in the absence of specific contraindications, it is recommended for anyone at any age.
For certain categories of people exposed to a particularly high risk of contracting influenza or developing severe complications in case of infection, the invitation to vaccination becomes an explicit recommendation.
In particular, they should take the annual flu vaccine:
- People over 65, especially if hospitalized or residing in nursing homes
- Children older than 6 months, born preterm or low birth weight
- Women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy
- Adults suffering from chronic or acute recurrent diseases affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular systems; metabolic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, kidney disease with renal failure, diseases of the hematopoietic organs and hemoglobinopathies, impaired immune defenses, intestinal malabsorption syndromes, the need to undergo surgery.
- Health personnel (doctors, nurses, care staff, etc.)
- Care staff in nursing homes and family members of high-risk individuals
- Emergency Health Service Volunteers
- Teachers of kindergartens and compulsory schools
- Post and telecommunications workers
- Public administration and security employees
- Breeders and persons engaged in livestock farming or in the transport of live animals
- Veterinarians of public bodies and freelancers
When to get vaccinated
The ideal period to take the flu vaccine may vary slightly from year to year, depending on the characteristics of spread of viruses (also linked to seasonal weather conditions).
In general, however, it is recommended to undergo influenza vaccination between the beginning of November and mid-December to be fully protected during the peak flu period, which usually occurs between Christmas and the end of January, when influenza viruses are most widespread and the probability of getting sick is particularly high.
If you get sick anyway?
The seasonal vaccine is a valuable weapon to prevent influenza, but it is not able to protect against other viruses not contained in the vaccine preparation, capable of causing flu-like colds.
Even if you have been vaccinated, therefore, it may happen to have fever, cold, cough and gastrointestinal disorders one or more times in the months between October and March.
When it happens, to relieve discomfort, you can resort to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs of proven effectiveness in reducing fever and the main symptoms associated with colds (fatigue, headache, soreness and generalized malaise).
In addition, depending on age, different remedies are recommended:
Age range | Remedies |
---|---|
Adults | Acetylsalicylic acid, available in numerous formulations to be taken by mouth, in relation to individual preferences (effervescent tablets and sachets, tablets to dissolve in the mouth or to be swallowed with a little water). |
Children under 12 years | Paracetamol, recommended by the World Health Organization, to be taken by mouth or in suppositories (the latter option to be preferred in the presence of nausea or vomiting, but to be avoided if there is diarrhea). |
If there is fever, in addition to drugs, to heal quickly and well it is essential to respect a few days of rest, preferably in bed, and follow a healthy, light but nutritious diet, rich in fruit and vitamins that help support the body’s immune defenses.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.