I and A Mag Oct19

Flu and the Flu Vaccine
MYTHS
AND FACTS
Flu isn’t new and neither is the flu vaccine – yet
every year, come flu season, there’s confusion
about them. Let’s set things straight…
The flu or a cold?
Myth: Colds can’t make you feel really ill, give you a temperature
or make your muscles ache. That’s flu.
While colds generally don’t confine you to the couch, a heavy,
streaming cold can make you feel very poorly – and colds can
cause muscle aches and a raised temperature.
To distinguish more accurately between a cold and the flu:
• Consider how quickly it’s come on. A cold usually starts
gradually, whereas flu symptoms come on rapidly.
• Consider all your symptoms. A cold mainly affects your nose
and throat, whereas flu can cause diarrhoea, stomach pain,
nausea and vomiting alongside nose and throat symptoms.
It also causes fatigue, lack of appetite and difficulty sleeping.
Children with flu are prone to ear pain too.
In healthy adults, flu doesn’t usually pose a serious health risk
and they recover in a week or two, although some strains (such
as some swine and avian flus) are more dangerous. However,
for certain groups, flu can pose a more serious risk.
Preventing flu
Proper hygiene is very important in preventing the spread of
flu (and many other infections), so flu sufferers should wash
their hands thoroughly and regularly, and bin their used tissues
straight away.
Some people need the protection of the flu vaccine. The
NHS recommends the flu vaccine and offers it free to people
at higher risk of catching flu and/or developing serious
complications. This includes anyone who:
• Is 65 or over (you’re eligible for the flu vaccine
this year, 2019/20, if you were born on or
before 31 March 1955).
• Is pregnant (flu can cause serious
complications such as pneumonia,
particularly in the later stages, and may also
result in premature birth or low birthweight).
The flu vaccine also protects the baby in its
first few months of life.
• Has certain medical conditions,
including: chronic (long-term)
respiratory diseases, such as asthma
(which requires an inhaled or tablet
steroid treatment or has led to
hospital admission in the past);
chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD), emphysema
or bronchitis; chronic heart
disease, such as heart failure;
chronic kidney disease; chronic
liver disease, such as hepatitis;
chronic neurological conditions,
such as Parkinson’s disease, motor
neurone disease, multiple sclerosis
(MS), learning disability or
cerebral palsy; diabetes; spleen
issues (e.g. sickle cell disease or
if you’ve had your spleen removed); a weakened immune
system (due to HIV, AIDS, or medication such as steroids or
chemotherapy); severe obesity (BMI of 40 or above).
• Is living in a long-stay residential care home or facility.
• Receives a carer’s allowance or is the main carer for an
elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if
they fall ill.
• Is a child: healthy children under the age of five are more
likely to be admitted to hospital with flu than any other
age group. Children aged two and three years on 31 August
2019 should be offered a vaccination and the nasal spray
vaccine is offered yearly in primary school. Children over six
months old with a long-term health condition should also be
vaccinated.
The flu vaccine is also recommended for front-line health
and social care workers, whose employers should pay for the
vaccination.
About the flu vaccine
Fact: You may still catch the flu if you’re vaccinated.
Flu vaccines are produced in advance, so experts have to
predict the three or four flu strains that will be prevalent during
the next winter. This means there’s a slim chance you may
catch an unexpected or rarer flu strain. However, the vaccine
will protect you from most strains you’ll encounter, and by
reducing the risk of catching flu, it also helps to prevent flu
spreading.
The best time to be vaccinated is before the start of the flu
season, which runs from December to March. Adults and
children aged between six months and two years who are
eligible for the vaccine will usually receive the injectable version,
while children between two and seventeen are normally given
the nasal spray.
Myth: The flu vaccine can give you flu.
This is impossible, as the vaccine doesn’t contain active
viruses, but it may cause a temperature and muscle
aches for a while, and the injection site can be sore.
Flu-like symptoms may be from another virus – or
it may be that you’d caught the flu before your
vaccination, or before it’s taken effect. It takes 10-
14 days for immunity to kick in.
Treating the flu
Flu is caused by a virus, not bacteria, so
antibiotics won’t help. If you do catch
flu, get plenty of rest and stay warm and
hydrated. Paracetamol or ibuprofen
will help to lower your temperature
and ease aching. Remember that
flu medications may also contain
these as ingredients, so read
medication leaflets carefully to
avoid overdosing.
See your doctor if symptoms
don’t improve after a week, or
immediately if you’re vulnerable
due to a medical condition,
pregnancy or age.
by Alison Runham
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