The children of Loyola Medicine colleagues encourage
everyone to get a flu shot before flu season takes hold. The flu shot protects
children, their family and friends from this truly “yucky” virus. According to
the CDC, everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine.
Newswise, October 3, 2016 — This year, everyone will have to
roll up their sleeves and receive the flu shot via injection, as the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) no longer recommends the nasal flu
mist vaccine due to ineffectiveness.
"Feeling the pinch is a small price to pay to protect
your health and, importantly, to protect the health of those more vulnerable to
illness," said Jorge Parada, MD, MPH, medical director, infection
prevention and control program, Loyola Medicine.
"The message is still loud and clear," said Dr.
Parada, a professor in the Division of Infectious Disease of Loyola University
Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
"Everyone six months and older should be vaccinated
effective immediately. The flu shot is safe and effective and it's a myth that
you can get the flu from the flu vaccine."
Flu season traditionally begins in October and ends around
April, peaking in January and February.
"It takes almost two weeks after vaccination for the flu
shot to become fully effective," said Dr. Parada. "Similarly, it can
take four to five days after exposure to the flu virus to develop
symptoms."
According to the CDC, the flu kills 3,300 to 49,000 people each year, with children and the elderly particularly vulnerable.
"Unlike many infectious diseases, the flu can be
prevented and even eliminated when everyone in a community gets the
vaccine," said Dr. Parada.
"Just as a hard hat is necessary safety equipment for
construction workers, those of us who work in healthcare know that we need to
take special precautions. Getting a flu shot protects ourselves, our patients
and our entire community from harm."
Loyola is a leader in infectious disease prevention and is in
its seventh season of mandatory flu vaccine as a condition of employment.
Each February, an FDA committee determines which virus strains
will go into vaccines sold in America for the coming season. The committee
considers which viruses are making people sick in Asia, where the flu season
first begins, and the effectiveness of the previous season's vaccine.
According to the CDC, flu vaccines protect against the three
or four viruses that research suggests will be most common. For 2016-2017,
three-component vaccines (trivalent) are recommended to contain:
• A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
• A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2)-like virus
• B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus (B/Victoria lineage)
• A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2)-like virus
• B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus (B/Victoria lineage)
Four component vaccines (quadrivalent) are recommended to
include the same three viruses above, plus an additional B virus called
B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus (B/Yamagata lineage).
Dr. Parada offers the following tips to protect yourself and
your community this flu season:
• Get your flu shot anytime starting now, and certainly before
the end of October
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently throughout the day
• Cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your arm when you sneeze to limit the spreading of germs
• Stay home if you have the flu
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently throughout the day
• Cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your arm when you sneeze to limit the spreading of germs
• Stay home if you have the flu
"You'll know you have the flu, and not just a cold, if
you also have a fever," said Dr. Parada. "Stay home for two to three
days until you are not in danger of infecting others. And remember there are
multiple strains of the flu virus so it is possible to get sick with flu more
than once during the flu season."
Loyola University Medical Center is one of a few select
hospitals who invest in universal screening of all inpatients for MRSA, was the
only academic hospital to participate in a national C. difficile study and
performs the most accurate testing for bacteria.
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