Everything You Need to Know About Flu Jabs
By Sunway Medical Centre | Dec 22 2022
We’ve all been down with the flu at one point or another. Caused by the influenza virus, a flu infection can cause fever, body aches, vomiting, cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fatigue. It’s not a pleasant experience and most people end up missing a few days of school or work each year because of a flu infection.
Most people might think that being down for the count during flu season is an inevitability, but that’s not strictly true. One of the best preventive measures you can take against a flu infection is to get a flu jab. A yearly vaccine that provides protection against 4 different seasonal strains, the flu jab is effective at both reducing the chances of you contracting flu and also lessens the effect of the virus should you happen to catch it.
Who Should Get A Flu Jab?
While the flu jab in Singapore is generally recommended for everyone, certain groups are more at risk when it comes to influenza infections.
Senior citizens, above the age of 65, may have weakened immune systems and as such are more likely to develop serious complications if they catch the flu. Young children with underdeveloped immune systems should also be vaccinated if given prior approval by a qualified medical professional.
During pregnancy, the body undergoes numerous changes that affect the heart, lungs, and immune system. This puts pregnant women more at risk from flu infections. The flu vaccine is available for women no matter which trimester you are in.
The last group of people who should consider getting a flu jab are those with chronic medical conditions. This includes patients with diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, leukemia, or HIV. Patients who are on immunosuppressants should also talk to their doctor about receiving the flu vaccine to protect themselves against the virus.
These groups mentioned above should consider getting the flu vaccine as one of their healthcare priorities due to the higher risk of complications and serious illness.
Learn More: Why is Regular Health Screening Important?
Why Is It Important
During the course of a normal flu season, millions of people get infected. Most recover with bed rest but thousands of others do get admitted due to flu-related causes. While most people think of flu as just a mild respiratory infection, it can lead to some very nasty complications like bacterial pneumonia, ear infection, and sinus infection. If you have any chronic medical conditions, flu can also potentially make them much worse.
How Do Flu Vaccines Work?
Flu vaccines cause antibodies to be created in the body which provide protection against exposure to the flu virus. Since the flu virus rapidly mutates, new ones will be developed and you will have to take an annual flu jab to ensure your protection is up to date.
How Is The Flu Vaccine Given And What Are The Side Effects?
The flu vaccine is given into a muscle or just under the skin. Severe reactions to the vaccine are rare and more common side effects like soreness, headache, body aches, tiredness, and fever may be experienced. These symptoms can be managed through over the counter medication.
The flu vaccine is safe and millions of doses are given out every year. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or send us a message via our contact us page and let us know if you’re interested in setting up an appointment for a flu vaccine.
Sunway Healthcare Group is a leading private healthcare provider with a network of medical centres and health services in Malaysia and Singapore. Our focus is on delivering the best possible medical outcomes through high-quality patient care.