Ahead of the winter season when many flu (influenza) patients occur, when is the most effective time to get a vaccination?
Photo = Newsis
On the 16th, Professor Lee Hyo-jin of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea advised that vaccination is most appropriate in October and that it should be administered by November at the latest.
Professor Lee said that it generally takes at least 2 weeks or as long as 4 weeks for antibodies to form after a flu vaccination, so this month’s vaccination is the most appropriate timing.
The flu is caused when one of the influenza viruses infects the lungs and upper respiratory tract.
The common cold is caused by about 200 types of viruses and is difficult to prevent because the viruses that circulate each time are different, but the flu caused by a specific virus can be prevented with a vaccine.
The flu vaccine can be administered starting from 6 months of age. The immune effect lasts an average of 6 months. The vaccine lowers your chance of getting the flu and reduces the risk of serious complications.
If you catch the flu, you will experience fever, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle pain, and overall fatigue, especially high fever and severe body aches. Fever and body aches usually last 2 to 3 days. Most symptoms improve after about a week, but the cough may persist for several weeks.
The most common complication is pneumonia. Children, the elderly with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases, and immunocompromised patients may die from complications.
In Korea, in preparation for the annual winter flu epidemic, quadrivalent vaccines are administered free of charge to seniors over 65 years old, pregnant women, and children who are at high risk of becoming seriously ill when infected.
Reporter Park Yoon-hee pyh@segye.com
(ⓒ Segye Ilbo & Segye.com, unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited)
Source: www.segye.com
