Edited by Sophia Savva
It’s that time of the year again: simply riding the subway is hazardous because everyone seems to be coughing in your face, garbage cans are overflowing tissues, and it seems like everyone you know is sick (and out to get you sick, too!).
There have been ads everywhere encouraging us to get the flu vaccine. But should you really get it?
The Canadian government’s program FluWatch has reported that in the 2016/2017 season, there were over 27,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu. When infected, some people just experience a fever and a cough, but unfortunately, the flu can seriously affect children, seniors and at-risk adults. In Canada, the flu causes approximately 12,200 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths each year.
But how does the shot work? The flu vaccine works through injecting small amounts of the inactivated or weakened flu virus so that your body is exposed to it. When exposed, you build up antibodies, which are part of the immune response in your body that helps fight viruses. An antibody needs to be produced for a specific antigen (like the flu), and by being exposed to the virus with the vaccine, your body produces antibodies to match the flu strain. Now, when you are exposed to the flu virus, usually between November to March, known as “flu season”, your body will recognize it and fight it quickly.
By getting the flu shot, you are not only protecting yourself, but protecting others too. You might know someone who cannot get the flu shot because they’re allergic to its ingredients, have a weakened immune system or experience side effects. Every virus has a certain threshold or the percent of the population that needs to be vaccinated so that the virus is contained. When those of us who can get vaccinated do, we protect those who can’t because the virus doesn’t have enough individuals in the population to infect and help spread it. This is called herd immunity.
Source: Vox, Original Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
The immunity granted by those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to get the flu shot is extremely important to at-risk populations like babies and older seniors. Getting the shot, as you can now see, is not only a personal health issue, but a public health issue. You can keep healthy all winter and make sure that others are healthy too. Bonus: you can join your friends for a drink and even make sure you’re not sick during exam time!
Some years are especially important for getting the flu vaccine. This is because the virus strain that spreads is different each year (think swine or bird flu). The same strain can also mutate rapidly, causing it to have its own unique severity. Experts have stated that the 2017/2018 flu season might be especially severe.
In an interview with CBC, Dr. Michelle Murti from Public Health Ontario said, “The message that I think we would want to be taking from that is a reminder that flu season is quite severe.”
She was referring to the effect of the flu in countries in the Southern Hemisphere, like Australia, who were hit hard this season (remember that their winter comes during our summer). The H3N2 strain, which circulated in Australia, is expected to be especially dangerous here too due to its higher risk of complications in the elderly. Luckily, the strain has not mutated significantly, and so the flu shot that we are currently using (H3N2 is one of the strains it protects against) is still a good tool to fight it.
Flu shots can be obtained almost anywhere, from a walk-in clinic to your family doctor. For students at UTSG, you won’t be able to get your shot on campus this year, but the Health and Wellness Centre has provided a list of clinics where you can get the shot nearby. You can also check the Ontario government website and find a location. Just type in your postal code and get going!
Source: NIH Image Gallery
The shot takes a couple minutes and the risk of side effects is extremely low. In all but the rarest of cases, side effects are limited to a slight feeling of being unwell the following day and a sore arm. However, the positives of the vaccine far outweigh the costs (not literally, it’s free!). You’ll be between 40-60% more resistant to the flu this year and will be protecting others in your community.
I think the answer is clear: yes. You should definitely set a couple minutes aside and get your flu shot this year!