Haven't you gone to vaccine against the flu yet? Now is the time
Winter has just begun and already 98 people have been hospitalized in severe condition due to the flu, nine of whom have died. The only way to protect against the flu is vaccination, but not enough Israelis are vaccinating this year. For them, we gathered all the reasons to do it
Haven't you gone to vaccine against the flu yet? Now is the time
In the video: Director General of the Ministry of Health on the rise in influenza
Two months ago, we wrote here that the impact of the year is expected to be particularly severe, and we urged you to go get vaccinated. Now the Ministry of Health data shows that this forecast was accurate. According to the Ministry of Health data, 98 patients were in serious condition during the current flu season, nine of whom died. In recent days, two people have died from complications of the disease - a 14-year-old girl with background illnesses and died at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, and a 19-year-old who passed away at Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem. In addition, a girl and man in the Sheba Medical Center are in serious condition following the development of the disease.
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To the full articleThe only way to really protect against the flu is a vaccine, but unfortunately not enough people have been vaccinated this year. According to the Ministry of Health, by December 15, we were vaccinating about one million and four hundred thousand Israelis against the seasonal effect, accounting for about 16 percent of Israel's population.
The flu vaccine is important for everyone, but it is especially important for high-risk populations, such as people 65 or older, people with lung disease and immunosuppressed people. For pregnant women the vaccine is especially important as it reduces the chance of being hospitalized for flu by 40 percent. The vaccine also transmits antibodies to the fetus, which is very significant since up to six months it is impossible to vaccinate infants, and what protects them is the mother's vaccine. Children six months of age or older should be vaccinated against the flu.
The vaccine will not make you sick. Influenza virus under the microscope (Photo: ShutterStock)
Influenza virus under the microscope (Photo: ShutterStock)
If you are going to be vaccinated it is important to remember that the vaccine does not provide immediate protection. The protective effect (antibody onset) occurs on average about two weeks after the vaccine, and therefore - beautiful one hour before.
Two wrong claims of those who choose not to be vaccinated, and the answers to them
Quite a few people choose not to vaccinate because the vaccine does not provide complete protection against the vaccine, but this assumption is wrong. Even if the vaccine does not give full coverage, there is plenty of evidence that it can ease the severity of the flu even if infected. The vaccines are also less likely to develop complications of the virus, including pneumonia and mortality. In addition, it is important to remember that partial protection is also preferable to the complete absence of disease protection with the potential for complications. And if that's not enough - last year's studies found that the risk of heart attack or stroke increased in the month following the diagnosis of a flu person.
Some people do not get vaccinated because they think they might "get the flu" from the vaccine. This assumption is also wrong. The vaccines are made from an inactivated or cell-based virus - that is, they contain only the substance of the virus and no real virus, so it does not cause disease. Most of the phenomena that can appear and sometimes simulate a slight flu are in fact an expression of the body's immune response against those proteins that eventually form antibodies against the real virus.
The most common side effects of the vaccine are local pain and redness, sometimes slightly swelling in the injection area. Sometimes there is a transient increase in heat, headaches and muscle aches which, as stated, are an expression of the body's immune response to the virus, and are actually a good sign. These reactions, if they occur, usually start shortly after the injection and go away within a day or two and can be relieved by heat and pain medication.
In conclusion, influenza vaccines are very safe vaccines and have been available for about 50 years. Although not perfect, these vaccines are the primary and best way to reduce the risk of influenza and spread it to others.
