Experts advise on vaccination against influenza. This year, a quadrivalent vaccine is available. FOCUS Online explains for whom the flu is dangerous and who should therefore necessarily vaccinate.
A lot of little people in Germany get vaccinated. Especially high-risk groups such as Pregnant women or old people often underestimate the importance of a flu vaccination is for you. In the last year, only 40 percent of high-risk patients were vaccinated.
Almost nine million doctor visits in the last year, due to Influenza. Precaution for the upcoming season, the Robert-Koch-Institut (RKI) advises, therefore, to have been in October or November, be vaccinated, because the protection only takes effect two weeks after the treatment. A wave of Flu can drag on from the beginning of December until the end of may.
For whom the flu is especially dangerous and vaccination is, therefore, inevitable?
- People aged 60 and over
- Pregnant
- the chronically Ill, diabetics or people with heart disease
- medical staff and nurses
What you need to know about the flu vaccination
When will the next flu wave? A wave of Flu is unpredictable and is often quite different. It usually begins in January and lasts for three to four months.
How intense the next Flu season will be? In principle, this cannot be predicted. The strength of the flu waves varies, however, the RKI estimates that every year there are up to five million flu-infected.
When is the best period of Vaccination? Because the full effect is established after ten to 14 days, should take the vaccination in October or November. Who vaccinates until later, you risk to infect yourself, because the flu season usually begins in December.
Protects a vaccination in any case? A absolute protection. In spite of vaccination, it can lead to diseases, especially in older people whose immune system is not responsive in General, so good on the vaccination. In addition, it is possible that the flu viruses match the vaccine, because these can be due to the individual wave of Flu is not always.
What side effect can occur with vaccination? Occasionally there is swelling or redness at the injection site. In the first few days, even Chills, fatigue, Nausea, headache and muscle pain may occur.
A New one is after the vaccine last year still need? Yes, you can only hold up to a season. At-risk groups should brush up on the vaccination every year because the protection breaks down slowly again. Influenza viruses can also change season to season and need to be adjusted.
What is the difference between a cold and a flu? A cold (flu infection) and flu have different excitation and therefore nothing to do with each other. A cold is usually a respiratory disease, which will not normally last for long. In the case of a flu, however, symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle neck pain, runny nose, and cough may occur suddenly, rapidly and violently. In more severe cases, it can even lead to death, particularly in elderly people.
What is the current vaccine? Experts were able to identify two known types of Viruses, the flu two sub-groups. Therefore, it was replaced in this season, the previous Triple-drug with a quadruple-drug.