Don’t fancy having to be out because you’re really sick for a week this winter? No? Because that is the reality of having the flu. I am talking about the influenza virus, not just ‘man flu’ or the common cold, which people often refer to as ‘the flu’. Contracting the influenza virus, which the flu vaccine protects against, could have a normally healthy person bedridden for up to a week, and even longer getting back to full health.
Flu ≠ Cold. Flu symptoms come on very suddenly, and often include high fever, a strong headache, severe aches and pains, extreme exhaustion, chest discomfort and cough. Some of these symptoms, such as cough and fatigue, can last for several weeks. So that leads me to the following question...
Who REALLY needs to get the flu vaccine? Is it not just old/sick/at risk people?
Basically, anyone that cannot afford to be sick for a whole week, should get the flu vaccine. We often hear about at-risk groups that should definitely get the flu vaccine, because they are at higher risk of complications from the flu. This does not mean, however, that other people don’t need to get it.
The principle of vaccination works on the basis that the more people that are vaccinated, the less the disease can spread. So not only does getting the flu vaccine decrease your chances of contracting the flu, and being out sick for a week, but it also protects those you come into contact with, such as parents, grandparents, young children, people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
When we protect ourselves, we are also helping to contribute to communal protection from the illness, and hence we are working for the common good! Doesn’t that just give you extra reason to get it?
If that hasn’t convinced you, think of how likely you are to contract the flu. Do you engage with the public in your work? Does your workplace have a communal canteen? Does your commute ever involve public transport? Are you a healthcare professional? In all of these instances and more, you are at risk of contracting the flu. Just by being out in public you can get it, from airborne particles when people cough/sneeze.
The Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season.
PROS. VS CONS of Getting the Flu Vaccine
Below, I have listed pros and cons of getting the winter flu vaccine. While of course there are cons, I have listed them for the sake of transparency, and I think you will find that the pros far outweigh the cons.
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