Flu or influenza is an infectious viral illness that spread through coughs and sneezes. Flu happens to people all year round but its most common during the winter period. Every flu season is different and it can affect people differently.
Most people who get flu will have mild illness without medical care or antiviral drugs and they recover within a week or two, while some people can get flu complications, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infection, which can result to hospital admission or even death.
Flu can make chronic health problems worse, for example people with asthma may experience asthma attacks, people with chronic congestive heart failure can experience worse condition triggered by flu. When the weather changes, it comes with different viral and bacterial infections, which can affect you for days. It is important to protect yourselves all year round, wrap up and keep warm during the winter.
Lets look at the symptoms of flu, people who are at risk of flu and needs flu vaccination, how flu vaccination works and some advices on Flu and flu vaccination.
Symptoms of Flu
Some of the main symptoms of flu are:
- Headache
- General aches and pains
- A high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
- Tiredness and weakness
- A dry, chesty cough
- Cold-like symptoms such as blocked or runny nose, sneezing and a sore throat
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty sleeping.
Flu vaccination should be given to the following people to protect them against flu and prevent them from developing serious flu-related complications:
- Adult 65years and over
- Children aged two, three and four including children in school years one to three.
- Pregnant women and women up to two weeks postpartum
- People with long-term conditions
- Living in a long-stay residential care home or other long-stay care facility
- Front-line health and social care worker.
- Carer for an elderly or disabled person
- Asthma
- Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions (such as brain disorders, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, stroke, developmental delay, muscular dystrophy)
- Chronic lung disease (such as COPD and cystic fibrosis)
- Heart Disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
- Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
- Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
- Kidney disorders
- Liver disorders
- Metabolic disorders
- Weakened immune system due to disease (such as HIV or AIDS, cancer)
The Flu vaccines cause the antibodies to develop in the body after vaccinations and the antibodies makes the body to attack the viruses.
The seasonal flu vaccine protects the body against flu viruses, when you are exposed to the flu virus after you have taken the flu vaccine, your immune system will recognise the virus and immediately produce antibodies to fight it. When you take the flu vaccination, it may take up to 14 days to build up your immunity
Why flu vaccine is needed for people at risk:
A flu vaccine is needed every season for two reasons:
- The flu vaccine is needed because the body’s immune declines over time, so annual vaccine is needed to prevent and protect any viruses attacking the body.
- Flu viruses' changes every season, the formulation of the flu vaccine is reviewed each year to keep up with the changing flu viruses. For best protection, people should get vaccinated every year.
- If you have flu, rest at home until you feel better, keep warm, drink plenty of water and take painkillers.
- If you are in the categories of people at risk, see your doctor to ensure no underlying condition has developed.
- Also see the doctor, if you develop chest pain, shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing or coughing up blood.
- Be aware that after flu jab, you may experience mild fever and slight muscle aches for a day or two, nothing to worry about.
- If you have sore arm after the vaccination, take paracetamol or ibuprofen and continue to move your arm regularly, do not let it stiff and sore.
- Do not give aspirin to children under the age of 16years.
- Flu vaccination cannot cause flu, if you have flu after vaccination, it may be that you have caught a flu-like virus or you may have caught flu before your flu vaccination had taken effect.
- Newborn babies are already protected against every diseases, such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), because the antibodies have passed to them from their mothers; it is called passive immunity.
- Passive immunity usually last for few weeks but for measles, mumps and rubella, it may last up to one year, which is why MMR jab is given to children after their first birthday.
I hope this information is helpful to everyone, especially people who are at risk of flu, and worried about the flu vaccination.
Source: NHS Choices
After having a persistent cough for over a year, I was diagnosed with COPD in March 2015. In 2016 my COPD got worse to the point where not only do I have trouble sleeping at night, I also struggle to get air into my lungs. I read in a health forum of a herbal centre (Traditional Herbal Healing Centre) who have successful treatment to COPD/Emphysema, i immediately contacted the herbal centre via their website and purchased the COPD herbal remedy, I used the remedy for 2 weeks, all my symptoms were reversed, i did another test for confirmation, i was declared COPD free. Visit (www.traditionalherbalhealingcentre.webs. com) or email (traditionalherbalhealingcentre@gmail.com) if you want to conform more about it whatsApp me at +1(856)402-1198......
ReplyDeleteI'm 15 years old. I was born with HIV my mother passed away because of the HIV infection And I regret why i never met Dr Itua he could have cured my mum for me because as a single mother it was very hard for my mother I came across Dr itua healing words online about how he cure different disease in different races diseases like HIV/Aids Herpes Copd Diabetes Hepatitis even Cancer I was so excited but frighten at same time because I haven't come across such thing article online then I contacted Dr Itua on Mail drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com I also chat with him on what's app +2348149277967 he tells me how it works then I tell him I want to proceed I paid him so swiftly Colorado post office I receive my herbal medicine within 4/5 working days he gave me guild lines to follow and here am I living healthy again can imagine how god use men to manifest his works am I writing in all articles online to spread the god work of Dr Itua Herbal Medicine Yes can ask me anything about this on my twitter @ericamilli or text 7205992850.He's a Great Man.
ReplyDelete