Seasonal flu is a highly infectious viral illness of the respiratory tract that can be life threatening in people with long term medical conditions, those aged 65 years and over, and pregnant women. Flu symptoms come on suddenly with a fever, muscle aches, headaches and fatigue. A cold is usually a less severe illness, that starts gradually with a sore throat and a blocked or runny nose and is usually mild compared to the flu.
Each year the seasonal flu vaccine contains three common influenza strains, the flu virus changes each year — this is why a new influenza vaccine has to be given each year. The vaccine helps people's immune systems to produce antibodies to the flu virus. When someone has been vaccinated and comes into contact with the flu, these antibodies attack the virus and attempt to stop the person from getting sick.
Seasonal flu vaccines have been given for more than 60 years to millions of people worldwide and reactions are generally mild and serious side effects are very rare.
Who should get the vaccine?
People over 65 years of age, those with long term medical conditions such as diabetes, heart, kidney, liver, lung or neurological disease, people with immune system is imparted due to disease or treatments. Persons whose BMI is over 40, pregnant women (can be given safely at any stage of pregnancy ), residents of nursing homes and other long stay institutions, health care workers, carers, and people in regular and close contact to poultry, water fowl, or pigs.
Be well and get your flu vaccination with Stauntons Link Pharmacy, Castlebar this winter. Call now on (094 ) 902 1908.
