What Are The Side Effects Of The Flu Vaccine - Who Should Get It and Who Should Not
There
are two types of flu vaccines, and while the first
adheres to flu shots, the second is the use of
Flu Mist, a nasal spray or LAIV. The spray is
different from flu shot primarily due to the fact
that it contains live damaged influenza. It is,
however, essential to consider that both, the
flu shot as well as the nasal spray tend to have
serious neurological side effects. There are,
for instance, reports of occasional cases when
influenza vaccines have been cited as the key
agent for causing the Gullain - Barre Syndrome
(GBS), which is also called acute inflammatory
demyelinating polyneuropathy. GBS is a disorder
in which the body’s immune system complicates
the peripheral nervous system. There are different
symptoms of this disorder such as varying degrees
of weakness in the legs. This weakness sometimes
spreads to the upper parts of the body and arms.
These symptoms tend to increase and in grave
conditions, the patient cannot use his/her muscles
and patient can become totally parlayed. Landry’s
ascending paralysis, which is a disorder of the
peripheral nerves outside the brain and spinal
cord has also been associated with flu vaccines.
Flu vaccines have also been known to be the cause
of other autoimmune conditions. As a result of
the fact that the virus changes annually, the
vaccines are prepared with the viruses themselves.
The preparatory viruses, however, are not always
the same ones that we are trying to protect against.
While the Flu vaccine is extracted from various
viruses, chicken eggs are used quite frequently.
And while the vaccines do not give total immunity
to recipients, they are effective in reducing
the chances of serious complications such as pneumonia.
Who Should Get Flu Vaccine?
The main purpose of each year’s
influenza vaccination is to reduce the risk for
serious complications. It is essential for people
at significant risk from the flu to get the flu
vaccine. This includes people over 65 years of
age as well as other high risk groups such as
infants between the age of 6 to 23 months and
individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant
women and those suffering from chronic diseases.
Health care workers who care for severely immune-compromised
patients in special care units too, should receive
the vaccine. People involuntarily living close
proximity to each other too, such as those in
boarding schools and prisons, should receive the
vaccine too.
Who Should Not Get?
Although the flu vaccine helps counter serious
sicknesses such as pneumonia and other complication,
there is group of people who must avoid flu vaccine
due to their medical condition. This is since
the health of this group of people is aggravated
due to the vaccine. This includes such people
as:
- Anyone with a sever allergy to chicken eggs
- Infants under six months
- People who have Ocular Respiratory Syndromes
or red eye syndrome must consult their doctor
before considering taking the vaccine.
- Those who are ill with fever must postpone
vaccination till they get rid of fever.
- Persons with a history of GBS too, should
consult their doctor.
- People with serious allergic reaction to previous
doses of vaccines too, must inform their doctors
or vaccination center before getting flu vaccine.
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