Influenza vaccine is a vaccine that can protect you from flu. Influenza vaccine should be given once a year because although it is a mild disease, in fact the flu can cause big problems for some people.
Influenza vaccine is important to be given because influenza or flu is very easy to spread. The virus is spread through splashes of saliva or contact with items that have been contaminated with the virus.
If this disease attacks the respiratory tract, symptoms can include dry cough, fever, headache, runny nose, muscle aches, and weakness. Cough symptoms can be very severe and last up to 2 weeks, even leading to death.
The Importance of Giving Influenza Vaccines
Although usually only cause mild symptoms, the flu can also cause serious complications. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the incidence of complicated influenza reaches 5 million cases per year, and the death rate from this disease reaches 650,000 cases worldwide.
Complications due to flu are more at risk for the elderly, pregnant women, children aged 6 months to 5 years, medical workers, and people with certain diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, chronic heart or lung disease, and asthma.
Complications that may occur include pneumonia, central nervous system disorders, and heart disorders such as myocarditis and heart attacks. In addition, the flu can also worsen chronic disease conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and congestive heart failure.
Since it is possible to cause serious complications and possible to cause death, it would be good to take preventive measures against this disease.
One of the right steps is the administration of the influenza vaccine. With this vaccine, your risk of getting the flu will be reduced or your flu symptoms will tend to be lighter than if you didn't get the vaccine.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, giving the influenza vaccine is also considered to be able to reduce the risk of severe symptoms of Corona virus infection. But that doesn't mean giving this vaccine can prevent you from getting infected with the Corona virus, right!
Types of Influenza Vaccine That May Be Given
There are two dosage forms of influenza vaccine, namely injection and nasal spray. The injectable influenza vaccine contains an inactivated virus. There are 2 types of injectable influenza vaccines, namely: trivalent and vaccines quadrivalent.
Vaccine trivalent contains 2 types of influenza A virus and 1 type of influenza B virus. While the influenza vaccine type quadrivalent contains 2 types of influenza A virus and 2 types of influenza B virus. The more types of viruses it contains, the better the protection. However, vaccines trivalent is also considered sufficient.
The sprayed influenza vaccine contains live, attenuated viruses. This vaccine should only be given to healthy people between the ages of 2–49 years. However, both types of influenza vaccine will not cause the flu in people who receive it.
The influenza vaccine works by building antibodies in a person's body to fight the influenza virus. Influenza vaccine takes about 2 weeks to work to create antibodies in a person's body.
In colder climates, flu season occurs between December–February. To be effective, the influenza vaccine is recommended to be given before December. The best time is November or October.
Meanwhile, in tropical countries like Indonesia, flu outbreaks can occur at any time. Therefore, there is no specific time to get the influenza vaccine. If in the last 1 year you have not received this vaccine, you can immediately ask your doctor for this vaccine.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the influenza vaccine for:
- Children 6 months to 5 years old
- Elderly people (over 65 years)
- Pregnant women
- Chronic disease sufferers
- Medical worker
In order for the use of the influenza vaccine to be effective and safe, it is recommended that you consult a doctor before vaccinating. Some injectable influenza vaccines contain eggs in them, so they should not be given to people who have an egg allergy.
In addition, this vaccine is also not recommended to be given to people who are seriously ill, have had an allergic reaction to the influenza vaccine before, or have experienced Guillain-Barre syndrome after receiving the influenza vaccine.
Influenza Vaccine Side Effects
There are various side effects that can arise related to the influenza vaccine. Common side effects include:
- Pain, redness, and swelling at the injection area
- Fever
- Nauseous
- Difficult to breathe
- Hoarseness
- Swelling around the eyes or lips
- Tired, dizzy, and pale face
- Heart beat
- Changes in behavior
- Faint
- Runny nose
- Muscleache
- Throw up
- Sore throat.
If you experience any of these reactions after receiving the influenza vaccine, contact your doctor immediately for treatment.
In addition to the influenza vaccine, flu can be prevented in several ways, namely reducing contact with sick people, resting at home when you are sick yourself, eating nutritious food, and drinking enough.
If necessary, wear a mask to avoid spreading the virus when you cough or sneeze, and make it a habit to wash your hands with soap, especially when you are about to eat or touch your face.