Influenza or flu is an illness caused by different types of virus strains that can change every year. This is the reason why we need to be vaccinated every year. Its usual manifestations are fever, cough, headache, malaise, sorethroat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The risk of being infected with influenza is greatest during the cold or rainy season so it is recommended to get your flu shot now.
The 2010 flu vaccine by Sanofi Pasteur will protect you and your child against three strains of virus contained in the vaccine after about 2 to 3 weeks of injection. The incubation period for flu is a few days, so if your are exposed to flu immediately before or after your vaccination, you and your child can still develop the infection.
The current flu vaccine available now protects us from the following strains:
1. A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like strain
2. A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like strain
3.B/Brisbane/60/2008-like strain
The vaccine will not protect you against the common cold, even though some of the symptoms are similar to flu. And as with all vaccines, it may not also fully protect all persons who are vaccinated.
Showing posts with label flu vaccine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flu vaccine. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Protection Against Influenza
A lot of kids are getting their flu shots these past few weeks because of the Swine Flu scare. Although the current flu vaccines available now, Fluarix and Vaxigrip, do not give protection against the Influenza A H1N1 virus, I still recommend getting a flu shot to give extra protection for the kids during the cold months.
Flu vaccines are used to protect us against influenza. It is given as early as 6 months old. (My nephew got his first shot when he was seven months old.) For first timers, a second dose is advised 4 weeks after. The vaccine will only prevent influenza caused by one of the 3 strains included in the vaccine and also from those strains closely related to them. Protection is effective 2-3 weeks after getting the shot.
Common side effects of flu vaccines are the following: headache, sweating, muscular pain, joint pain, fever, malaise, shivering, fatigue and local reactions such as redness, swelling, pain or bruising. These usually last for 1-2 days only.
Of course, after getting the flu shot, I also advise the pneumococcal vaccine - pneumo 23 or IPD vaccine. There are cases when a simple upper respiratory tract infection can also lead to pneumonia.
Flu vaccines are used to protect us against influenza. It is given as early as 6 months old. (My nephew got his first shot when he was seven months old.) For first timers, a second dose is advised 4 weeks after. The vaccine will only prevent influenza caused by one of the 3 strains included in the vaccine and also from those strains closely related to them. Protection is effective 2-3 weeks after getting the shot.
Common side effects of flu vaccines are the following: headache, sweating, muscular pain, joint pain, fever, malaise, shivering, fatigue and local reactions such as redness, swelling, pain or bruising. These usually last for 1-2 days only.
Of course, after getting the flu shot, I also advise the pneumococcal vaccine - pneumo 23 or IPD vaccine. There are cases when a simple upper respiratory tract infection can also lead to pneumonia.
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