Influenza is preventable: Protect yourself, get vaccinated

  • Published
  • By Maj. Mark Rasnake
  • 759th Medical Operations Squadron
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  Influenza season is upon us once again, and many are focused on the threat of avian and pandemic influenza, or the bird flu.

Amid all the concern over these significant threats it is important to remember the widespread illness and deaths caused by the influenza virus every year. Not everyone stops to think that every year more than 30,000 Americans die from the flu, more than from any other infectious disease in the U.S. More people die from influenza than all other vaccine preventable diseases combined. Another 200,000 persons are hospitalized due to this disease, and many more miss work or school due to illness.

Fortunately, influenza is preventable. Currently there are two vaccines available. One is a nasal spray vaccine that is safe and effective for healthy people 5 to 49 years of age. This vaccine is made from a live but weakened flu virus that should not be given to those with weakened immune systems. The other is an injectable vaccine that is safe for everyone over 6 months of age, including those with chronic medical conditions and weakened immune systems. Both vaccines are highly effective at preventing influenza.

Apart from protecting yourself, there are other good reasons to receive the flu vaccine. Vaccination of children has been shown to protect the elderly from being exposed to the flu and can reduce illness and deaths in these vulnerable populations. Healthy adults benefit from less lost workdays due to illnesses, and businesses that provide this vaccine to their employees find it cost effective.

More importantly, vaccination of healthcare workers has been clearly shown to decrease influenza illness and deaths among patients under their care. The flu is contagious for over a day before the first symptoms appear, so healthcare workers cannot rely on symptoms to warn them that they may pose a risk to their patients. Receiving the flu shot is your best way to protect oneself, one's patients, or anyone you contact that may be at risk for severe disease due to influenza.

The Air Force takes a leading role in the fight against influenza. The influenza virus changes from year to year, and the vaccine must be modified in order to prevent these new viruses. Officials from the Air Force Institute for Operational Health at Brooks City Base, Texas, conducts advanced surveillance and testing of global influenza isolates. Their efforts provide critical data to the annual design of flu vaccines that can prevent the currently circulating strains of influenza.

There are some people who should consult with their doctor prior to receiving the vaccine: those with severe egg allergies, those with previous severe reactions to the flu vaccine, and those who developed a rare nerve disorder known as Guillain-Barre syndrome after previous doses of the flu vaccine. Anyone with a moderate to severe illness should wait until they are well before being vaccinated.

For more information about the flu, the vaccine, or available treatments go to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at www.cdc.gov/flu/.

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