Three major mistakes in the flu vaccine, seven common problems

Myth 1: I am very healthy, there is no need to vaccinate, and getting sick can improve my immunity.

Three major mistakes in the flu vaccine, seven common problems

Compared with the common cold, the flu virus is not a small trouble. The population is generally susceptible, and healthy people will also be recruited. It is characterized by high fever, headache, and body aches. It is more serious than the common cold, it is highly contagious and harmful, and the risk of complications such as viral pneumonia, secondary bacterial pneumonia, respiratory failure, and myocarditis will increase. The idea of ​​improving immunity through infection with influenza virus is very likely. Not worth the candle.

Even if you are healthy, you should consider it for others. If you have an elderly person, a child, or you often go to a public place and get in touch with a weak person, you may be able to transmit the flu virus to others.

Myth 2: I have a cold after taking the flu vaccine. It is useless to use the vaccine.

We have to analyze the specific situation. First of all, in addition to the influenza virus, there are many viruses that can cause symptoms such as fever, cough, and other colds, such as rhinovirus, adenovirus, coronavirus, etc. We must first distinguish between the flu and the common cold.

In comparison, the systemic symptoms of the flu are heavier, and the respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, cough, and cough are more pronounced.

Secondly, the protection rate after flu vaccine is not 100%. However, if you get the flu after the vaccine, the clinical manifestations are often relatively light. The chances of serious complications such as pneumonia are also much smaller than those of the flu. It is these serious complications that people are afraid of.


Myth  3: Influenza virus mutation is fast, vaccine plan can't keep up with changes

Seasonal flu mainly occurs in winter, from October to March in the northern hemisphere, and from April to September in the southern hemisphere. Because the influenza virus is constantly mutating, the World Health Organization (WHO) has established the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS).

The vaccines recommended by WHO each year include 2 types of A, 1-2 strains of B virus, and most of them match the strains of the current year. In March of this year, WHO recommended the following epidemic strains to be included in the influenza vaccine for the 2017-2018 Northern Hemisphere Influenza season:

Type A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1) pdm09 – like virus;

Type A / Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2) – like virus;

Type B / Brisbane /60/2008– like virus;

Regarding the problem of virus mutation, Chinese scholars' research shows that when the vaccine strain does not completely match the epidemic strain, it can still provide certain preventive protection, and the vaccine still has certain effectiveness. In October, it is a good time for vaccination! So who needs priority vaccination? What are the side effects of a flu shot?

Question 1: Can pregnant women get a flu shot?

 Once pregnant women are infected with the flu virus, the risk of developing severe flu is high, and vaccination is recommended at home and abroad. Pregnant women should receive a flu shot at any stage of pregnancy. This is not only protected by the mother, but also can prevent the flu in the short term after the baby is born.

However, some Chinese flu vaccine manuals are not updated in time, and are inconsistent with the guidelines. Medical staff and patients need to be fully informed and cautiously decided.

Question 2: Is there a age limit for children to get a vaccine?

The minimum age for flu vaccination is 6 months. If you have a baby under the age of half, caregivers and family members should be vaccinated to prevent transmission to children.

For children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, it is a high-risk group of influenza, and vaccination is preferred.

Question 3: Is it useful for older people to get a vaccine?

 Older people over the age of 60 have the highest risk of death after flu, and are an important target group for influenza vaccination. Although studies have shown that vaccines may not be as effective as young people in the elderly, vaccines are still the most effective means of protecting older people from the flu. In 2007, Beijing began to receive flu vaccine free of charge for the elderly aged 60 or older.

Question 4: Can a weak and sick person not fight?

The following chronic underlying disease patients are recommended as priority vaccination targets:

Respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, other lung diseases);

Heart disease (atherosclerotic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, chronic congestive heart failure, congenital heart disease);

Neurodevelopmental disorders (cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, cognitive impairment);

Metabolic disease (diabetes);

Immune dysfunction (HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy, organ transplant patients using immunosuppressants, chronic corticosteroid therapy);

Chronic renal insufficiency treated with dialysis;

Chronic liver disease (especially cirrhosis);

Morbid obesity;

Hematological diseases (sickle cell anemia, thalassemia);

Adolescents who take aspirin for a long time (risk of Reye’s syndrome after flu)

Chronic diseases are not limited to this, except that the above lists are “priority”, and other chronically ill patients can also be vaccinated according to individual circumstances.

Question 5: Which special occupations should be given priority?

Medical staff are the priority group for influenza vaccination. They can not only protect themselves, protect their families, but also protect patients and maintain the normal operation of medical services. Other occupations, such as nursing staff, teachers, and public place attendants, should also be actively vaccinated against influenza.

Question 6: Who is not suitable for vaccination?

Those who are allergic to any of the eggs or vaccines should not be vaccinated against the flu. Mild to moderate acute disease with or without fever, it is recommended to vaccinate after the symptoms have subsided. The emergence of Guillain-Barre syndrome within 6 weeks after the last vaccination is not contraindicated, but special attention is required.

Question 7: What are the side effects of the flu vaccine?

The flu vaccine is a trivalent inactivated flu vaccine (TIV), which can cause transient local redness and induration at the injection site, pain, systemic reactions such as fever, dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, etc., to a lesser extent.

Rapid-type hypersensitivity reactions can have systemic manifestations such as urticaria, wheezing, mouth, tongue and throat edema, difficulty breathing, decreased blood pressure, shock, etc., but also mild symptoms, such as red eyes and hoarseness. Systemic allergic reactions to flu shots are rare.

In short, the flu vaccine is the most effective way to prevent influenza. From the perspective of personal health, family health and group health, flu vaccination is advocated. Of course, it must be guided by doctors and varies from person to person.