The elderly (and those working with the elderly) are urged by the government and other health officials to get the yearly flu vaccination. By preventing the risk of infecting, or getting the flu you can prevent a fair amount of illness and death. For someone with a normal immune system, the flu may be nothing more than a few days of discomfort but, for the elderly and others with a weakened immune system it can easily mean disaster.
The risk difference between those with a far lower immune system and those with a more normal one is immense. Just by simply getting this one vaccine many lives can be saved. It is an easy way to protect those who you love or work for. It is one of the many ways that you can easily make a difference.
Yearly the elderly sadly die from the flu in large numbers, it can so easily turn into pneumonia and lead into life-threatening complications. Many of those deaths could have easily been prevented by a simple vaccine.
For those who are 2-49 if you are nervous over needles you can opt instead for the nasal vaccine, which can still prevent the issues above from happening.\
However, the CDC does warn that those who have the below should not be vaccinated:
There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:
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- People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
- People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
- People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.
- Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
- People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)
Preventative measures can truly go a very long way in reducing the risk loved ones face from the flu and it’s related diseases.
