Life choices Go to the Centers for Disease Control and...

Life choices Go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) influenza website (http://www.cdc.gov/flu) and read the pages "Key Facts About Influenza (Flu)" (under "Flu Basics"] and "Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine" (under "Prevention-Flu Vaccine"). You can also go to the Mayo Clinic's influenza website (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases -conditions/flu/home/ovc-20248057]. Then answer the following questions. a. What is the flu? How is it passed on? b. What are the possible symptoms and complications of the flu? c. How can you decrease your chance of getting the flu, and what treatments are available if you become infected? d. What are the benefits and risks of the flu vaccine? e. Why is there a new flu vaccine every year? f. Why is the flu vaccine more effective in some years than in others? g. Who would you recommend should get the flu vaccine? Explain your reasoning. h. Do you get a flu vaccine every year? Why or why not?

Life choices Go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) influenza website (http://www.cdc.gov/flu) and read the pages "Key Facts About Influenza (Flu)" (under "Flu Basics"] and "Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine" (under "Prevention-Flu Vaccine"). You can also go to the Mayo Clinic's influenza website (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases
-conditions/flu/home/ovc-20248057]. Then answer the following questions.
a. What is the flu? How is it passed on?
b. What are the possible symptoms and complications of the flu?
c. How can you decrease your chance of getting the flu, and what treatments are available if you become infected?
d. What are the benefits and risks of the flu vaccine?
e. Why is there a new flu vaccine every year?
f. Why is the flu vaccine more effective in some years than in others?
g. Who would you recommend should get the flu vaccine? Explain your reasoning.
h. Do you get a flu vaccine every year? Why or why not?

Key Concepts

Influenza (Flu)

Influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses that can lead to a range of symptoms, from mild to severe illness, and in some cases can cause significant complications or even death. It is recognized as a common, contagious disease with periodic seasonal outbreaks across the globe.

Transmission of Influenza

Influenza is primarily spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These droplets can be inhaled by others or settle on surfaces that, when touched, can lead to indirect transmission of the virus.

Symptoms and Complications

The influenza virus typically causes symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, and fatigue. In some cases, particularly in vulnerable populations, complications like pneumonia, exacerbation of chronic health conditions, or even severe systemic infections can occur.

Prevention Strategies

Prevention strategies include both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions. Non-pharmaceutical measures such as hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and social distancing help reduce transmission, while vaccination remains the primary pharmaceutical method to prevent infection.

Antiviral Treatments

Antiviral medications are available to treat influenza if administered shortly after symptom onset. These treatments can reduce the duration and severity of the illness and are particularly important for high-risk individuals.

Flu Vaccine Benefits and Risks

Flu vaccines are designed to protect against prevailing strains of the influenza virus, offering benefits like reduced infection rates and decreased severity of illness. However, as with any vaccine, there are potential risks and side effects, which are generally rare and must be balanced against the benefits of disease prevention.

Annual Update of Flu Vaccines

The flu vaccine is updated annually to match the most recent circulating strains of the virus. This is necessary due to the rapid mutation and genetic variability of influenza viruses, which can render previous vaccines less effective against new variants.

Vaccine Efficacy Variability

The efficacy of the flu vaccine can vary from year to year due to factors such as the match between the vaccine strains and the circulating virus strains, as well as individual differences in immune response. This variability highlights the need for annual vaccination and ongoing surveillance of influenza strains.

Transcript

00:01 Here we have questions about the flu.

00:04 So first of all, what is the flu? well, it's caused by the influenza virus.

00:11 It's a respiratory condition passed on by droplets.

00:15 Z's spread by droplets.

00:22 B.

00:23 What are the possible symptoms and complications? so most people who have a symptomatic flu will have respiratory symptoms.

00:32 So sore throat cough, they may also have fever, chills, aches, headaches and sometimes digestive symptoms.

00:45 Complications, it can lead to more severe disease, for example pneumonia, possibly pneumonia, or a worsening of existing conditions.

01:03 How can you decrease the chance of getting it? what treatments are there if you are infected? so for treatments there are antivirals that can be used to treat it.

01:14 For preventing it, you can for prevention, you can get vaccine, or you can maintain distance from other people, wash hands, avoid people who are symptomatic, these will decrease your risks.

01:35 What are the benefits and the risks of the flu vaccine? so of course the benefit reduces your chance of getting influenza.

01:46 So benefit, decreased risk of flu.

01:52 As for the risk, you can have side effects.

02:00 Risk side effects of the vaccine.

02:03 For example, soreness where the shot was given, mild fever and headache, etc.

02:09 And of course some people are allergic to vaccines, which would be a severe side effect.

02:16 E, why is there any flu vaccine every year? so influenza has two proteins on its surface but we pay attention to...

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