Last Saturday I saw the first “flu shots given here” table set up at our local Walmart. Are you planning to get the flu shot? If not, consider this: history tells us the Influenza epidemic of 1918 infected 28% of the American population. It killed 675,000 Americans and between 20 and 40 million people worldwide. That flu was vicious; it was most deadly to young healthy adults (ages 20-40). By comparison, World War I resulted in 18 million deaths worldwide.
Could we have an influenza epidemic like that again? Maybe. The flu shots offer our best protection from a flu epidemic. How is the flu shot developed? This year’s flu shot is developed based on last year’s 3 most virulent (able to cause disease) strains of flu virus found. It’s an educated guess by scientists and an advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization (WHO). They choose three viruses to include in the next year’s flu shots. This years’ (2011-2012) flu vaccine will protect against three virus strains, one of which is the H1N1 virus (a concern last year.)
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says more pregnant women and health care workers should get the flu shot. Last year 49% of pregnant women got the flu shot. Only 63.5% of health care workers received the flu shot last year. The CDC is recommending 90% of health care workers get the flu shot.
For you needle-phobic people, the flu vaccine does come in a nasal spray form. For more details about this form of flu vaccine, the CDC health provides information a person can use to become informed at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/fluvaccine.htm If you still have questions, talk to your family doctor.
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