The pandemic has consumed us so much in the past two years that it’s only natural to forget about the flu. It seems the only time we remember its annoying existence is when we think we have come down with the dreaded COVID only to take a test and find out that, yep, it’s boring old, irritating as anything flu – how drab.
But, as anyone who has ever had the flu (most people) will agree – the flu absolutely sucks! And, for this reason, it’s still highly advised to receive vaccines like the Afluria Quad flu vaccine to fight against that other respiratory disease that rolls around in the year’s winter months.
Here are five reasons why you should still get the flu vaccine in 2022:
It helps ward off the flu, obviously!
Nobody wants to catch the flu: it’s annoying, it’s gross, it’s truly unpleasant – so why not preemptively do something about it? Flu vaccines are designed to greatly reduce the risk of catching the flu in the first place, and especially stem the need to go to the doctor with the flu.
In fact, the chances of having to go to the doctor with the flu are reduced by 40-60 percent in vaccinated people, meaning that it is a great option for potentially stopping the flu in the first place or keeping you from the doctor’s office.
It can reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalisation
The one thing that’s worse than having to go to the doctors’ office with the flu is being hospitalised for it. Unfortunately, when you are hospitalised with the flu, it means it’s a pretty serious case, especially when you consider how most people are able to get over it with just a few days’ to a week’s rest.
Being vaccinated against the flu can greatly reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalisation, as it can greatly reduce the illness’s severity if you do happen to catch it.
It can be a vital help for people with other health problems
The flu can be disastrous if you have already experienced prior health problems. For people with illnesses like chronic lung disease, diabetes and heart disease, flu-related hospitalization is a much greater risk, but the flu vaccine can help reduce the risk of being hospitalised as well as experiencing severe symptoms.
The flu vaccine can help during & after pregnancy
The flu can be dangerous for pregnant women and their babies, with even healthy mothers being more susceptible to more severe flu symptoms. However, the flu vaccine is shown to halve the risk of flu-associated acute respiratory infection in pregnant women.
It can protect the people around you!
Given all the above-mentioned benefits of the flu vaccine, it’s a no-brainer that it can also prevent you from spreading the nasty disease to loved-ones, mates, colleagues – all of that!
After all, you don’t want to be the one in your office that people know started the yearly flu outbreak, and this is especially so when offices are weary about that other disease that’s been omnipresent for the last two years.
So, why not consider receiving the flu vaccine? It can stop you from getting the disease in the first place; it helps with people that already experience serious illness and it can help others stay safe from the disease.
Who knows? You might be really happy you did after another cold winter!
