To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate. Is the Flu Vaccine a good idea for my family?
That’s the question all of us should be asking as a new flu season nears. No one knows how bad a flu season will be until after it’s over. But each flu season, people are hospitalized, some die, and some develop other complications like sinus and ear infections and pneumonia. With last year’s Swine flu frenzy ending only recently, many of us are not ready to think about the upcoming season. But health officials want us to think otherwise. That’s why they’re ramping up the supply and their efforts to spread word about the newest flu vaccination.
Not 1 but 3 flu viruses…That’s how many viruses this year’s flu vaccine will protect against. And yes, the H1N1 virus is one of them because many expect it to continue circulating. Batches of the new flu vaccine have started to be shipped and are already, or will soon be available in your area.
What’s different about this year’s flu vaccine is the recommendation of who should receive it. In previous years, flu vaccines were only recommended for the most vulnerable groups; the elderly, children, pregnant women and anyone whose immune system is compromised because of HIV, AIDS, diabetes, cancer or other health issues. But this year, the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone except infants less than six months old.
Special concern should be taken by people with chicken egg allergies, people who have had a previous reaction to a flu vaccine, and children ranging in age from six months to nine years old. These groups should talk to their doctors before getting the vaccine and let the doctor determine who should get no dose and who should get two doses. Typically two doses are given to children who have never been vaccinated against the flu. Children who only had one dose of the H1N1 vaccine likely need another dose, too. In some cases, one dose isn’t enough to protect against the flu.
TIP: Did you know that the Flu shot or vaccine is made from chicken embryos? If you are allergic to eggs, avoid Flu shots. The allergic reaction is worse then the flu symptoms.
The best time is now!
People are encouraged to get their flu shots as soon as possible. Some people will, and they’ll be protected throughout the entire flu season. But a lot of people will wait until flu season officially starts. Others will put the decision off until the flu season peaks during January, February, and March. The vaccine only needs about two weeks to become effective, so it’s never “too late” to get vaccinated.
Are vaccines the only protection?
Health experts say the flu vaccine reduces the chance of getting the flu by 70 to 90 percent. But there are other things you can do to protect against the flu.
• Keeping stress under control is important since stress can compromise your immune system.
• Insufficient sleep can too, so make sure you get enough.
• Frequent hand washing, sneezing into a tissue or the crook of your arm, and keeping hands away from the face.
• There is also a few Home remedies for the Flu that we recommend:
Home remedies for Flu #1: Take Vitamin C to boost immune system and increase the number of white blood cells.
Home remedies for Flu #2: Take Zinc lozenges, it boosts the immune system as soon as the symptoms develop.
Home remedies for Flu #3: Colloidal silver kills viruses.
Home remedies for Flu #4: Take Garlic capsules to decrease the growth of the virus.
Home remedies for Flu #5: Make a tea mix and drink it as an infusion: 1 tsp. bayberry bark, 1 tsp. grated ginger root, ½ tsp. cayenne powder, 1 cup of boiling water and let it sit for 20 minutes.
Home remedies for Flu #6: Take “cold and flu” tablets. This homeopathic preparation can help people avoid getting infected with the flu virus by taking 1 tablet a day throughout the flu season.
TIP: Do not use Aspirin; this can irritate the mucus membranes.
Home remedies for Flu #7: Black elderberry extract helps boost your immune system to prevent colds and flues. It is available in capsules, lozenges or liquid form at health food stores. Sugar-free formulations are also available for diabetics.
You have the information…..now it’s time to make your choice!