I've never been an anti-vaxxer. Vaccines save lives. Full stop. I will admit that in the past, I haven't always gotten the flu shot. I'd tell myself things such as: "I'm young", "I'm healthy", "I practice good handwashing & hygiene", "I don't need it". Well, I've reformed my ways, and for at least the past 5 years, I've rolled up my sleeve to get vaccinated come October. I've been thinking about writing about this subject for some time, but wanted to wait until it was closer to the time when flu shots are available. I've also doubled, and tripled down on the importance of getting the flu shot, particularly after E's leukemia diagnosis, and also after reading about an Ontario woman's heartbreaking flu story.
While you, and I may be young, healthy, and in the lower risk group when it comes to influenza, not everyone is. Babies, children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant women, people with underlying health conditions such as heart disease, or diabetes, and immunosuppressed people such as cancer patients are all most at risk of complications from the flu. You're not necessarily getting the flu shot to protect yourself, you're getting it to protect the most vulnerable segment of our society. Think of getting the flu shot as the ultimate form of altruism. We're basically using the principles of herd immunity to protect the most at-risk segment of the population from infection.
Admittedly, the flu shot is not 100% effective, but research shows that even partial immunity can reduce the length & severity of symptoms should you contract the flu. The flu shot contains inactive strains of the flu that researchers believe will be circulating in a particular year. Because these viruses are effectively dead, you will never get the flu from the flu shot. It does take about 2 weeks for your immunity to build after having received your vaccinations, and in those 2 weeks you are still vulnerable, so ensure to get your flu shot early!
If you do get the flu, drink lots of fluids & get plenty of rest. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco products. Gargle with salt water, and use a saline spray on stuffy noses. Most importantly, if you have the flu, STAY HOME. Being the hero that continues to soldier on to work will only accomplish one thing: passing on the infection. Given that you are contagious before you show any symptoms, anyone you've infected will continue to pass along the flu. Then those people will pass it on to someone else, who passes it on to someone else, etc. until someone from an at-risk segment of the population is infected, and ends up in the hospital or worse.
Part of the reason I'm writing this is selfishness. With E being a leukemia patient, he falls into the high risk category for potential complications from the flu. Another part of the reason I'm writing this is selflessness. The older I get, the more I feel that it is our duty to society. We owe it to ourselves, as well as our fellow citizens to vaccinate against the flu in order to best protect everyone. In Ontario, it's still a bit early, and flu shots are not yet available, but it's not too early to start the conversation. This fall, one by one, we can all be flu fighters if we get vaccinated, and get vaccinated early. The life you may be saving could be my son's.
Find a flu clinic near you:
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/diseases-conditions-maladies-affections/disease-maladie/flu-grippe/clinic-clinique-eng.php
Flu facts:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/flu-facts
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/flu-influenza.html
https://www.forjudeforeveryone.com
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