That Time of Year Again

SMH March 2007 - Health + Lifestyle

Yes, it's that time of the year again. Time for your annual flu shot?

Flu appears annually, mainly in winter, during local outbreaks or as widespread epidemics in every country of the world. The flu virus is capable of constantly changing, so you may get the flu each year. Although the flu will usually run its course, it can be severe and cause complications, even death in individuals who have underlying illnesses or chronic diseases. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year.

For healthy children and adults, influenza is typically a moderately severe illness from which most recover within a week. For individuals with a weakened immune system due to other illnesses influenza may be much more severe and even fatal.

Infection with the influenza virus is frequently associated with complications, which can require hospitalisation. It has been estimated by CSIRO that approximately 10-20% of the Australian population develop influenza annually, and that each case is associated with approximately 5-6 days of restricted activity (often including 3-4 days of bed rest).

Influenza or flu, is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Flu is often called a respiratory disease, but it affects the whole body.

Symptoms of influenza infection may include sudden onset of fever, (more than 38 degrees) body aches, headache, tiredness, cough, sore-throat and nasal congestion.

Flu can be transmitted by :
• Sneezing: a sneeze carries flu at 167 km/h over a distance of 5 meters in 1/10 second
• Breathing, Talking, Coughing
• Touching contaminated objects and transferring germs to the respiratory system
• People can catch the flu simply by being in the same environment as someone with the flu.

How can I be protected?

Vaccination is the single most effective protection against influenza. Vaccination is an injection of a small amount of the virus, but this is not a live virus and cannot cause influenza. Vaccination before exposure to the virus allows the body to build up immunity and avoid infection.

When should I get vaccinated?

Vaccinations are required every year as immunity only lasts 12 months. As winter is peak flu season, a vaccination in autumn will give you the two weeks needed to develop immunity and provide maximum protection at four to six weeks after immunisation.

If you have already contracted flu, a vaccination won't stop the onset of symptoms.

How effective is the vaccination?

Vaccination offers between 70 per cent and 90 per cent protection against the strains covered by the vaccine. The vaccination provides immunity for one year so annual vaccination is required to provide ongoing protection.

According to the National Health and Medical Research Council's 'Immunisation Handbook', influenza vaccine given to people at risk of complications from infection is the single most important preventive measure. While not offering 100 per cent immunity to anyone, people who have been immunised and still contract influenza, experience significantly less severe symptoms of a shorter duration and are therefore less likely to develop serious complications.

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