{"id":62411,"date":"2019-10-28T12:04:12","date_gmt":"2019-10-28T17:04:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=62411"},"modified":"2019-10-28T12:04:12","modified_gmt":"2019-10-28T17:04:12","slug":"the-case-for-the-flu-vaccine-for-flu-season-2019-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/the-case-for-the-flu-vaccine-for-flu-season-2019-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"The case for the flu vaccine for flu season 2019-2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all people ages 6+ months should receive the flu vaccine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, this includes babies, toddlers, school age children, adolescents, young adults, pregnant adults, middle-aged adults and older adults. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Why is the flu vaccine important for your children and you and your loved ones?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s discuss the flu.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Also known as influenza, the flu is a serious respiratory virus <\/span>that causes the sudden onset of symptoms like fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, and overall fatigue.\u00a0 <\/span>It can be confused with the common cold which is caused by other respiratory viruses.\u00a0 <\/span>However, the flu can potentially lead to serious health complications because it can reduce the body\u2019s ability to fight off other infections such as, for example, the viruses that cause pneumonia.\u00a0 <\/span>Dehydration is not uncommon because being sick can cause lethargy and lack of appetite and desire to drink.\u00a0 <\/span>The flu can also aggravate existing conditions such as triggering asthma attacks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Influenza or the flu can, G-d forbid, lead to death.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s flu season (2018-2019), according to the CDC, was \u201cmoderately severe.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>The season commenced in October and ran through May yet began growing in November while peaking in February.\u00a0 <\/span>This 21-week span means it was the longest flu season in 10 years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The CDC believes that this year\u2019s flu strain is especially virulent.\u00a0 <\/span>This is fact \u2013 The first pediatric death due to the flu already happened in<\/i> September<\/i> in California.\u00a0 <\/span>The CDC reports there was a second death several days ago.\u00a0 <\/span>Because these tragedies unfolded so early in the season, it should warn us as to what might be ahead.\u00a0 <\/span>So it\u2019s prudent to take preventative action.\u00a0 <\/span>Yes, this is meant to propel you to making sure you and your children get the flu vaccine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, CDC and other health officials often look to the flu season in Australia for harbingers of what may come here.\u00a0 <\/span>The winter season has concluded Down Under where they experienced an early flu season.\u00a0 <\/span>The influenza strain H3N2 dominated and was particularly nasty.\u00a0 <\/span>Australia\u2019s Department of Health announced that flu activity was higher this season than past seasons.\u00a0 <\/span>93% of cases reported were Influenza A.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recent research has borne out the importance of the seasonal flu vaccine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It prevents severe flu in older adults and lowers admissions to the hospital (where germs abound).\u00a0 <\/span>It reduces hospitalization rates for children seriously sick with the flu by 60%.\u00a0 <\/span>It decreases flu rates in children under 7 months of age when Mom received the vaccine when pregnant. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Combine vaccinating with the flu vaccine with some creative kinds of behavior modification in order to best keep the beast of the flu at bay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some suggestions —<\/span><\/p>\n