It’s not too late to get a flu shot
When Columbus built the town of Hispaniola in 1493, the population of Taino (the indigenous people of the Caribbean) was between 60,000 and 8 million people. By 1548, the population had decreased to fewer than 500. This is solely because they lacked immunity to the pathogens carried by the Spanish. As a result, these people fell victim to plagues of smallpox, influenza, and other viruses.
The National Center for Biotechnology says, “Lack of hygiene, fatigue, and privations, a diet without vitamins, and many persons kept in confined spaces were the essential features of this environment.”
Looking at us today, we’ve been mostly sequestered due to COVID-19. Our bodies have lost their ability to build antibodies against the common viruses that cause influenza. That’s why getting a vaccination is essential because it’s important not only to you but to public health as well.
On November 10, the first death from influenza in Idaho was reported in Boise. As of October 29, only 26 percent of adults living in Idaho had obtained a flu shot. However, if you talk to people around town, it seems everyone has come down with what appears to be the flu. So, maybe it’s time you stopped making excuses and headed out to one of the pharmacies offering free shots.
“The current recommendation is that everyone over six months should get vaccinated for the flu,” the Mayo Clinic says. “Each year’s flu vaccine protects from the three or four influenza viruses expected to be the most common during that year’s flu season.”
They also say that while the flu shot doesn’t prevent you from getting Covid-19, there’s research that found that it may lower your risk of becoming infected. On the flip side, getting a flu shot does not make you more vulnerable to Covid-19 or any other respiratory disease for that matter.
Here’s another thing to think about. You getting a flu shot benefits others around you. If at least 70 percent of the population were to get flu shots, then herd immunity would be achieved and those people who are unable to get immunized, regardless of the reason, would be less likely to become ill.
The only downside to getting a flu shot is the few minutes it takes, and perhaps a sore arm, mild fatigue, or low-grade fever that lasts less than 24 hours. Rare side effects such as an allergic reaction can happen, but the risk is low.
David Cennimo, an infectious disease expert at Rutgers New Jersey Medica School said, “Unless someone with an egg allergy has had an allergic reaction to the flu vaccine in the past, they should get the vaccine. If their allergy is serious, they should be monitored while taking the shot.”
If you haven’t gotten your Covid-19 vaccination or booster, you can do so at the same time. Cennimo said that studies have shown that having the shots together does not affect efficacy of either one. Keep in mind that you can fall ill with both influenza and Covid-19 at the same time, which one can assume makes you extremely sick.
“The more you suppress influenza through vaccination, the less opportunity the virus has to mutate and infect more people,” he said. “You’ll also have lower viral loads and will shed the virus – and be infectious – for shorter periods of time.”
The ideal time to get a flu shot was in October, however the “season” will extend through the spring and the vaccine offers protection for at least six months, so it’s not at all too late. Plus, with the shot taking about two weeks to become effective, getting one today will have you nicely protected before Christmas.
Regardless of vaccination status, we can all stop the spread of viruses by following these good health habits: wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water; if you’re not near soap and water use alcohol-based sanitizer; avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth; avoid crowds; avoid people who are sick; if you’re sick stay home; cover your mouth with a tissue or the inside of your elbow when you cough or sneeze; regularly disinfect surfaces and get plenty of exercise, drink plenty of fluids, eat a healthy diet and manage stress.
Kathy Hubbard is a member of the Bonner General Health Foundation Advisory Council. She can be reached at kathyleehubbard@yahoo.com.
