by Kate Leo
Flu season is around the corner, which means many are heading to their local drug store or doctor’s office to receive a vaccine. I have gotten a vaccine every year, in the form of either nasal spray or a shot, but how does the vaccine work, and does it actually work?
The flu is a respiratory virus that affects your nose, throat, and lungs. Millions of people are affected by the flu each year. Although only in worse cases, the illness can cause hospitalization or death if there is bad inflammation in the lungs. This mostly happens in people who are very young or old, as their body cannot handle the virus as well. Even though this is possible, everyone should make sure that they are vaccinated. Although the vaccine is not guaranteed to make you immune to the strain, it has been proven to decrease your chances of getting the flu and lessen your symptoms if you do end up having the virus.
Every year, over 100 national flu centers in 100 different countries monitor the strains that patients are bringing in. The World Health Organization then reviews these results and recommend the composition of the influenza vaccine for the following year. Each country makes their own decision about what the composition should be; in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration makes the ultimate decision about the vaccine. Usually, the vaccine is made to protect against three or four predicted strains. The vaccine is an inactivated form of the flu that causes antibodies to develop in your body about two weeks after your injection. Antibodies are natural fighters against infection that are specifically made to fight the virus you contracted.
Because it takes your body about two weeks to build up antibodies to fight against the flu, you should plan to get the vaccine when it first comes out. It typically is released in late September or early October. There is also a nasal flu spray that can be just as effective as the shot. There are more restrictions on who can receive it, but it can be a good option for those that don’t want to have the shot.
The flu is prevalent each year, and the flu vaccination reduces the risk of contraction by 40-60%. There is never a good time to get sick, as we all lead busy lives as college students. The best you can do is reduce your chances by getting the vaccine, and of course, keep washing those hands!
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccine-selection.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm#howeffective
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