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Flu Shots for Seniors

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The following article on flu shots for seniors covers a topic that always moves to center stage, especially in the winter months. If you've been thinking you need to do a quick review, please take a few minutes to read though it.

Still one of the best ways to avert the spread of influenza is to get inoculated every fall. A new vaccine is produced every year utilizing three different strains of viruses. These strains are based on educated guesses about which of the viruses will spread in the coming year. Our bodies will begin to produce antibodies about two weeks after getting an inoculation and then provide us with protection from these viruses. Because the influenza virus is constantly mutating it is advisable to get a new flu vaccine every fall.

The population that are most at risk if they contract the flu bug include:

* Seniors over the age of 65
* Young children under 6 months of age
* People between 2 & 49 years old with chronic health conditions including those with immunosuppressant; chronic heart or lung conditions; persons presently on aspirin therapy
* Pregnant women

Those who are at risk and people who present the most danger to them during flu season are placed by the Centers for Disease Control on a priority status which means they are given a flu shot first. The people who work with or care for the population most in danger who are included in this list are:

* Workers in the health care field especially those in hospitals, nursing homes and long-term health care facilities
* Day care workers
* People taking care of senior family members who want to reduce their risk of getting the flu and possibly passing it on.

Two types of influenza vaccines are available at present, one that is for injection and the other is dispensed in a nasal spray format. The most popular is in the injectable form and it is given by needle in the upper arm. This vaccine is manufactured with an inactivated or killed virus and may be administered to anyone over six months of age whether or not they have any chronic health conditions. The nasal spray format is produced from a live virus and can be given out to most healthy persons between 5 & 49 years old, but it is not recommended for women who are pregnant.

It is important to note that the flu vaccine is also not advised for anyone who has had:

* Allergic reactions to inoculations in the past
* Has allergies to chicken eggs
* Has contracted Guillain-Barre syndrome within 6 weeks of getting a flu vaccination
* Has a fever associated with an active viral or bacterial infection
* Is under the age of six months

Side effects of having either form of the vaccine are predominantly mild and usually last only a couple of days. Observed flu-like symptoms that can occur in some patients include:

* Muscle aches & soreness
* Swelling and slight redness in the area of the injection site
* Possible low-level fever
* Mild sore throat
* Slight nausea and/or occasional vomiting

None of these symptoms, even if we do experience any of them, are as harsh though as the actual flu symptoms and would be much more desirable than catching the flu bug, which can be extremely more uncomfortable and incapacitating as anyone who remembers going through it could relate.

Statistics show that since the introduction of flu vaccines the number of influenza cases and deaths amongst the groups at risk have decreased drastically. With over 90 million people in the US alone taking part in this immunization program we hope that these figures will continue to decrease.

Please remember though that no matter how much you've read or heard about flu shots for seniors, you should always discuss your intentions with your family doctor as he knows you best and can answer any questions you may have about this very important medical subject.

Of course, it's impossible to put everything about flu shots for seniors into just one article. But I hope we were able to add some things to your understanding and that is was time well spent.

 

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