The days of lounging by the beach, reading a good book, and soaking up the sun are long behind us. Instead, the chilling months of flu season are upon us. The influenza viruses are active all year long, but the stretch from December to February is where we see the most illness. It is important to take the proper precautions in order to protect yourself and those around you from getting sick. The flu is often looked upon as nothing more than a bad cold and a stomach bug; however, many deaths occur each year. Tis the season to get your flu shot!
People who are skeptical of the vaccine are often those who might not have enough information. It’s essential to be informed about what is going into your body and how it is working. The flu vaccine includes the three versions of weakened influenza that are predicted to dominate the coming months. Through injection, the vaccine triggers the immune system to create antibodies, preparing the body for battle if it has to combat the flu. Antibodies are proteins that protect you when an unwanted substance enters your body, in this case, the flu. Produced by your immune system, antibodies bind to these unwanted influenza substances in order to kill them off and protect them from getting into your system. It is possible to experience muscle aches and feverish symptoms a day or two after receiving the vaccine. This might happen due to the side effects that come with your body’s production of protective antibodies. Although uncomfortable, these symptoms are subtle side effects that only last roughly 24 hours.
Social media and the internet are places where misinformation and fake news are created and spread across the globe. Fake news on social media has made people question vaccines, including the flu shot, by spreading misinformation and creating doubt in the country. Social platforms are meant to bring people together, but instead, they have become a place where false claims about vaccine safety and effectiveness are shared more than actual facts. This has caused a lot of people to lose trust in doctors and public health organizations, leading to fewer people choosing to get vaccinated. The more people who don’t get vaccinated, the more people who are at risk of getting sick from preventable illnesses. To fix this, we need to have open and honest conversations with each other and encourage one another to rebuild trust in science.
All in all, it is very crucial that you get your flu shot this year. Dr. Emily Godbout, a pediatric epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital of Richmond, shared, “Reducing the overall burden of respiratory illnesses is really important to help protect vulnerable populations at risk for severe disease.” Godbout adds “It also helps lessen the resulting burden on our health care system, which is crucial throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.” Getting your flu shot will help protect yourself and the people around you. After the horrible coronavirus epidemic, the world has started to better understand the importance of taking the necessary precautions to keep as many people safe as possible.
