Live Life Team
Flu is an infection which is highly contagious and infectious. This spreads very fast via the sneezes and coughs of the infected people.
The immunisation fro flu or flu jab provides immunity from the flu and will last for around one year. The vaccine which is made from the strain of expected flu is normally available in the autumn of every year.
Necessity of flu jab
The symptoms of flu develop in a person very severely and rapidly. The symptoms of flu are headaches, fever, chills as well as paining muscles. One may also have sore throat and dry cough. Cold is usually less severe and worsens with running nose and a sore throat.
At times, flu can lead to pneumonia and bronchitis. The older people may even die if infected with flu.
The flu jab provides protection to those who are viable to flu very easily. Flu jab must be taken by all the people who are sixty five and above. The other conditions where immunisation to flu in essential are in those who have one of the following conditions:
- have a very severe asthma
- have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- have long term hepatic or liver problems
- have long term renal or kidney failure
- have severe heart problems
- diabtes
or - a weak immune system due to chemotherapy or presence of human immunodeficiency virus.
When should flu jab be taken
Flu jab is usually taken during late September to early November. One should not wait till winter if there are chances of the person developing the infection. The virus usually starts circulation in winter for over a few weeks. This is when many people develop the infection.
How does flu jab work
The body develops antibodies to the virus in the vaccine after ten days the person takes the immunisation. This will help in protection of the person against the viruses that are similar to the flu viruses, if the person has been infected with any one of them.
Even though the flu jab helps in the prevention of infection from almost many flu viruses, still certain strains can cause flu. This is because the strains of viruses causing infection will be different every year. So it is better to go in for a flu jab every year.
Even though the flu immunisations do not result in any problems as such, one may experience a mild soreness in the arm after the person gets himself immunised. This can cause very slight fever as well as mild aches of the muscles just for one day. But people who develop allergies to the vaccine can be found very rarely.
When should not a person get a flu jab
The person should not go in for a flu jab is:
- the person is severely allergic to the eggs laid by the hens. This is because the vaccine is developed from the eggs of the hens.
- the person has developed some sort of allergic reaction to the flu vaccine previously
- if the person is below sixty-five years and is healthy.
