Flu Season 2024 – Let’s Talk About Flu Vaccines!
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Winter colds and flu season is fast approaching, and many people will be starting to think about ways to protect themselves from this year’s influenza strains.
Flu is highly contagious and each year there are about 1 billion cases of seasonal flu, including 3 – 5 million cases of severe illness. Complications from influenza cause between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths every year.
The annual flu vaccine is a key weapon in the fight against getting sick as it is designed to protect against the strains of flu expected to be most prevalent during that particular flu season. By getting vaccinated, you reduce your risk of getting sick with the flu and if you do catch it after being vaccinated this should lessen the severity and duration of your illness.
Jackie Maimin, CEO of the Independent Community Pharmacy Association (ICPA), says that pharmacists play a crucial role in the battle against the spread of flu. They are the most accessible healthcare professional and can give advice on flu vaccines and why it is so important to have the vaccination.
Let’s Talk About Flu Vaccines
They work: Flu vaccines are the best way to protect yourself, and others, from the flu. Getting vaccinated significantly reduces your risk of becoming sick with the flu and experiencing possible severe symptoms and complications such as secondary bacterial infections requiring antibiotics. It also prevents the spread of the virus thereby preventing others from contracting flu.
Flu vaccines have an excellent safety profile: They are rigorously tested for safety and undergo strict regulatory approval processes before being made available to the public. Mild side effects from the flu jab are relatively common and may include soreness or redness at the injection site, mild fever, headache, and muscle aches, but these resolve within a few days and are much less severe than the symptoms of the flu itself.
When to have it done: The best time to get vaccinated is before the start of flu season, which typically begins in autumn and peaks during the winter months. However, it’s never too late to get the flu shot, which is available throughout the flu season.
Readily available: Flu vaccines are widely available at pharmacies, healthcare facilities, and community vaccination clinics. Most pharmacies offer walk-in flu vaccination services, making it convenient to get vaccinated without an appointment.
Make it an annual event: It’s important to be vaccinated against the flu every year. Influenza viruses change and evolve, so the composition of the flu vaccine is updated annually to protect against the most current strains of the virus.
“This year there are 2 slightly different flu vaccines available” explains Maimin. “There is a quadrivalent vaccine, which is designed to protect against four different flu viruses: including two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses, and the trivalent vaccine, which protects against three different flu viruses: the two most common A strains and one B strain.”
“For the 2024 flu season, the World Health Organisation has stated that the trivalent vaccine will be sufficient to guard against this year’s flu strains and it is not necessary to have the fourth B strain as that strain has not been in circulation for the last few years. There is no harm in getting the quadrivalent version, however, it does cost more.”
High-risk urgency: Certain groups of people are at higher risk of developing serious complications from the flu and must ensure they are vaccinated every year – this includes young children, elderly adults, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease), and immunocompromised individuals.
“Overall, pharmacists want you to know that getting vaccinated against the flu is the most effective way to prevent flu and stay healthy this winter. Pharmacists are accessible and knowledgeable healthcare professionals who can answer your questions about flu vaccination, address any concerns you may have, and provide personalised recommendations based on your health status and risk factors. If you have any concerns or queries, visit your local community pharmacy for help,” concludes Maimin.
