ASK THE PHARMACIST | Why should I get the flu shot?

Influenza, commonly known as flu, is a contagious disease caused by viruses.

Flu causes mild illness, but at times it can lead to other more serious ailments such as lung, ear or sinus infections, and worsen existing medical conditions. Seasonal influenza kills up to 650,000 people around the world every year.

Flu symptoms may include fever, headache, lack of energy, body aches, cough, sore throat  and blocked nose.

Getting an annual influenza vaccine can save you costly doctor’s visits and missed school or work days and help guard against hospitalisation and even death as a result of flu complications.

The flu virus spreads easily from person to person through droplets in the air released when we talk, breathe, sneeze and cough. You can spread flu to others from as far as 1.8m away even before you start to show symptoms. Flu also spreads through droplets on objects like clothes, door handles and shopping trolleys.

The flu vaccine lowers your risk of becoming sick with flu. If you do get sick, the vaccine helps you to recover faster and reduces your chance of developing complications. It also helps to limit the spread of the virus to others.

The flu vaccine can be given to most people six months of age and older. It is particularly recommended for those at high risk of developing serious flu-like illness, namely the elderly, children between six months and five years, healthcare workers and pregnant women, and for those who live with them. Getting a flu vaccine while pregnant also protects the baby from flu for several months after birth. Those with chronic health conditions, such as heart and lung disease, asthma, HIV and diabetes, should also get the flu vaccine every year.

The composition of the flu vaccine is different each year. The formulation is based on the characteristics of circulating influenza viruses tested by the World Health Organization. Vaccines for each flu season are designed to protect against illness and infection caused by the flu viruses researchers believe will be most common.

Flu vaccines do not always match the dominant strains of the flu season, but mostly they are very effective.

It is important to note the flu vaccine does not replace the Covid-19 vaccine as they protect against infection from different viruses. The flu and Covid-19 vaccines should be given at least 14 days apart in any order. If both vaccines are available at the same time, it is recommended to prioritise the Covid-19 vaccine.

By getting the flu vaccine you not only help protect yourself, but everyone with whom you live, work and come into contact. Herd immunity is when most people are vaccinated and the population as a whole is protected. This is because there are fewer people to transmit the highly contagious flu virus.

People who are unable to get the flu vaccine, for example babies younger than six months and people with severe allergies, should benefit from you being vaccinated.

Prevention is better than cure.

Help yourself, your loved ones, and potentially the entire population, by getting your flu shot today.

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