Are those Hollywood horror films just not doing it for you? Do you need more of an adrenaline rush this Halloween season? Watch your local news station talk about influenza. That’ll get you what you need.
October has been particularly terrifying this year, and not because of a ghoul next door. Recent news updates featuring those stricken by the infections fatal blow have caused some concern about this year’s seasonal flu. The latest in these stories is North Carolina’s Mrs. Scarlett VanStory Levinson, a 29-year-old lawyer who died October 2nd due to what authorities are calling flu complications. According to ABC News, the young woman suffered a flu related heart attack that lead to her death. Articles such as this often cause uproar in communities, leading to an influx of precautionary measures. In response to this, many will turn to the flu shot without question. But just how helpful will the flu shot be in keeping you happy and healthy this year?
The CDC has assured us that all vaccines this season will protect against four different types of the influenza virus, and they recommend getting one before the virus spreads in your community. While flu season starts on the first of October, the State of Texas has reported low numbers for cases thus far and say that the majority of cases in 2017 did not occur until January. Arkansas has reported very similar findings.
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Statistics aside, what this really comes down to is your preference. The CDC can never be 100% sure of which virus will spread, how it will spread, or what effects it will have. They have laboratories who work to make educated guesses about what strains to protect against seasonally, but they aren’t promising anything specific.
The effectiveness of the shot also varies by season, and is affected by your age and health. Different vaccines are appropriate for different ages and each person is going to react differently. If you have poor health or a damaged immune system, getting the shot might be more meaningful to you. There is always a chance that the shot has absolutely no benefit at all. Getting the flu shot might have just as much benefit to you as not getting it, but it might have more. There’s no definitive way of knowing.
In terms of the dangers of the flu vaccine, there aren’t many. The CDC says that in no way can the flu vaccine cause the flu. Severe allergic reaction is possible if the receiver has an egg allergy, fever can occur, and there have been 1 or 2 cases per 1 million vaccinated people of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disorder “…in which a person’s own immune system damages their nerve cells.” Though it is unclear what the direct cause is, this disease is one that people generally recover from, though the thought is scary. Between 3,000 and 6,000 people get it yearly (with and without vaccination) in the United States and very few die from it. Adults 50 and older, and those ever diagnosed with the Campylobacter jejuni bacterium or other infections, are the most susceptible.
So, should you get the flu shot? It is entirely your call. Whatever you feel like is best for you, your family, and those around you is your answer. Do your own research, and make your own educated decision. At the end of the day, it is your body. Just don’t be upset if everyone at the office Christmas party blames you for their ailment! It’s human nature.