Flu vaccine
Flu is a very common and transferable disease. It affects humans, birds, and animals. Humans and animals both are vaccinated by flu vaccine. Vaccine is good to control epidemic of flu. Flu vaccine has been developed by using new techniques in molecular biology.
Working of vaccine
Vaccine contains agents that are exactly similar to microorganisms. Antigen from vaccine stimulates immune system of the body. Body considers the injected agent (antigen) as a foreign body. Immune system synthesizes antibodies against the injected antigen. Antibodies destroyed the injected antigen. In future, whenever your body encounters the same type of virus, antibodies present in the body attacks the real antigen and destroy it.
Need of vaccine
- It is a transferable disease
- Flu affects seriously
- Most of the time it transfers in crowds, schools and at work places
- The patient can get re-infected
Importance of vaccine
- Small children are more susceptible to diseases. Vaccination is the best precaution to prevent small children from infectious disease.
- Vaccine minimizes period of recovery
- Immune system gives instant and powerful response after infection of same antigen
- Safe
- Provide strength to immune system
Flu vaccine
- Vaccination prevents flu at primary level
- Minimize infections related to the respiratory system
- Decreases death rate of flu patients
- Flu vaccine is available in two forms i.e. injection and nasal spray vaccine
- Injection vaccine contains killed viruses and nasal spray vaccine contains live, weak viruses
- The genetic make-up of the virus can be changed every year. Therefore, seasonal vaccination is required.
- Every year vaccine for flu is prepared to resist against new expected type of virus
- Vaccination starts working after two weeks of administration in the body
Nasal spray vaccine
- This vaccine is granted by the Food and Drug Administration
- Nasal spray vaccine is recommended for people of the age two to forty nine
- Flu vaccine should be avoided by the pregnant women, baby less than two years and people with severe health problems
- Nasal spray vaccines do not cause sever symptoms because it contains weakened influenza virus
- Side effects of vaccine are sore throat, cough, running nose and headache
Injection vaccine
- It contains killed or inactivated virus
- Viral particles are killed by heating or chemical treatment.
- This vaccine is injected in the arm
Flu vaccine cannot completely resist the disease but it can reduce the chances of flu. Therefore, it is better to be vaccinated every year to prevent and control flu.
