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Rinckey: Get a flu shot to protect others

Mallory Rinckey, IC Columnist

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We are entering November which means we are entering flu season. The flu season typically starts in October or November and peaks in December and January.

The flu’s signs and symptoms are: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, headaches and fatigue. Some complications that can come from having the flu are pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections and increased occurrence of asthma attacks for people who have asthma. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that every year about 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu complications.

I am a strong advocate for receiving vaccinations because they prevent certain diseases. To clarify any misconceptions, there is no link between vaccines and autism.

You might have the same mindset that I have of, “I don’t care if I get the flu, I’m young and strong and I will be sick and uncomfortable for a week if I catch the flu, but I will fight if off and everything will be fine.”

But I get the flu shot not for me, but for everyone around me. I come into contact with young children, pregnant women and the elderly population. I will probably be able to fight off the seasonal flu without a problem, but some of these people either cannot get the vaccine and therefore are more at risk for getting the flu, or they don’t get the shot for another reason and then are at a higher risk than the general population and could have complications or even death. Children under 6 months old are not eligible to receive the vaccine so they have no protection against the virus at all.

By getting a flu shot I am participating in something called “herd immunity” which is basically getting enough people in the population to become immune to a disease which protects the rest of the population that has not become immune. If I get the flu shot and become immune to the flu for that year, then I won’t be able to pass it on to someone else that hasn’t gotten the flu shot.

So even if you don’t care if you get the flu, get the flu shot to protect the people in your life who are not able to get the flu shot.

Hesitant about getting the flu vaccine? I can help discredit some popular views or myths on about the flu shot.

  • You cannot get the flu from getting the flu shot. It is a myth that people can get the flu from the vaccine, because there is no living virus in the vaccine. The vaccine is made up of fragments of a dead virus or inactive viruses and there is no way that the flu can become active inside of you.
  • Some people who get the flu shot do not feel well afterwards. That can be caused by their body forming the antibodies that will help fight off the virus if you actually come into contact with the live virus.
  • Other people come down with the flu after getting the shot because they already had the virus in them prior to getting the shot. The flu vaccine takes about two weeks to become effective due to your body creating antibodies to fight off the flu. So, the person could be sick because they already had the virus in them before the vaccine had time to become effective in your body.
  • If you got a flu shot in the past, you are not protected against this year’s flu season. Every year scientists get together and create a vaccine based on how the flu virus mutates and changes over time. This year is a different vaccine and you will have to get a new one next year if you choose to continue being vaccinated.

Many places in the Toledo area administer flu shots. The link to the University of Toledo schedule of flu shots is at this link: http://tinyurl.com/VaccineSchedule2014. Pharmacies like Kroger, Rite Aid, Walgreens and CVS also administer flu shots.

No, the flu shot is not the only way you can protect yourself from the flu. Simple things like washing your hands can help to protect yourself. If soap and water are not available, hand sanitizer that has alcohol in it is also a good option. Cover your mouth if you are coughing or sneezing because the flu can be spread from water droplets up to six feet away. Avoid touching your eyes and mouth throughout the day. Sanitation of surfaces like counter tops and door handles is also important in stopping the spread of viruses.

Please talk to your doctor to know if you are eligible for the flu vaccine and stay informed.

I am an undergraduate studying public health, and I have taken biology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology classes, but I am not a doctor. I am not here to tell you what you should do; that is up to you and your primary care physician. I am here to give you options and information that you can use to make a decision for yourself with the help of a licensed doctor.

Mallory Rinckey is a fourth-year majoring in public health.

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1 Comment

  • lbhajdu1 .

    “This year is a different vaccine” - That’s not true the 3 to 4 strains in this vaccine are exactly the same as last year, right from the CDC website:

    The U.S.-licensed influenza vaccines for the 2014–2015 season will
    contain the same vaccine virus strains as those in the 2013–2014
    vaccine. Trivalent influenza vaccines will contain hemagglutinin (HA)
    derived from an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus, an
    A/Texas/50/2012 (H3N2)-like virus, and a B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like
    (Yamagata lineage) virus. Quadrivalent influenza vaccines will contain
    these antigens plus a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like (Victoria lineage) virus. A
    list of anticipated influenza vaccine products for the 2014–2015 season is available here.

    [Reply]

Serving the University of Toledo community since 1919.
Rinckey: Get a flu shot to protect others