Language
Country/Area
No result found
Why is getting the annual flu shot so important for your health?
Influenza vaccine is a powerful weapon to prevent influenza virus infection. Every autumn and winter, as soon as the vaccine is put on the market, millions of people start queuing up to get vaccinated. The flu virus mutates rapidly, and experts must redesign vaccines based on the strains that circulate each year to ensure they are highly effective. So that’s why it’s so important to get a flu shot every year.
Influenza is a contagious disease that causes numerous hospitalizations and deaths every year. Getting the flu vaccine can significantly reduce these risks.
According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost everyone over six months old should get a flu vaccine every year, especially high-risk groups, including pregnant women, the elderly, young children and people with chronic diseases. The safety of the vaccine is also widely recognized. Even for people with severe protein allergies, the flu vaccine is generally safe, and the most common side effect is mild pain at the injection site.
Research shows that the effectiveness of the flu vaccine varies depending on which strains of the virus are circulating each year, but most vaccines provide relatively high levels of protection.
The history of influenza vaccines dates back to the 1930s. However, before 1945, influenza vaccines were not available on a large scale. Since then, influenza vaccines have undergone continuous improvements and developments. Especially during World War II, the U.S. military began developing the first approved inactivated influenza vaccines to protect the health of soldiers.
The effectiveness and role of vaccines
Vaccine effectiveness refers to the degree of protection a vaccine provides under controlled conditions. According to data, in most years, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine is approximately 50% to 60%. However, because influenza viruses mutate rapidly, vaccinated people can still get the flu. Over the past 19 years, most flu vaccines have targeted strains that match circulating strains. However, even if the vaccine is mismatched to the virus strain, it is still possible to provide some cross-protection.
The vaccine's effect on reducing mortality and hospitalization remains significant, and can reduce the duration of hospitalization.
Impact on different groups
The benefits of getting a flu vaccine are not limited to personal health, but also include herd immunity. Especially among school-age children, vaccination can indirectly protect people of other age groups, thereby forming social immunity. Among health care workers, there is evidence that increased vaccination rates among health care workers can reduce patient mortality.
For the elderly, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine is less obvious. However, higher-dose vaccines designed for older adults have been shown to produce stronger immune responses. As people age, their immune systems gradually decline, but even so, medical experts still recommend that older adults get a flu vaccine every year to increase their resistance to the flu virus.
Pregnant women and the flu vaccine
Influenza vaccination during pregnancy can help protect both mother and fetus. Research shows that vaccination can reduce the risk of influenza infection in pregnant women and reduce the impact of the virus on the health of pregnant women and their babies. This not only helps the mother's health, but also helps improve the fetus's antibodies.
Annual flu vaccination not only protects yourself, but also protects those around you. Are you ready to take responsibility for yourself and others?
In summary, influenza vaccination has an important impact not only on individual health, but also on social public health. With flu viruses changing every year, the importance of maintaining annual flu vaccination cannot be ignored. So, have you ever considered why people still need to get the flu shot every year?
