Fall is my favorite season, but it is not the only season going on right now. Flu season is here, too, so now is a great time to talk about preventive care services and taking charge of your health! Not only that, but today in particular is World Immunization Day and what better way to celebrate than by getting your annual flu shot?
There is a common myth in many places around the world about genies granting a lucky person three wishes. People dream about what they would wish for if they had the opportunity. Most people wish for money, health, time, and romance, and preventive services can give you all four. Well, three out of four, anyway. Might not be much help for romance. You only get three wishes after all.
Going to the doctor or getting a flu vaccine does not sound nearly as much fun as being granted phenomenal wishes with no work on our part, but it’s as close to getting a fairy tale life as most of us are likely to get. How exactly does it work?
Money
Yes, getting the flu shot can save you money! Flu’s estimated economic impact on the economy each year is $90 billion! (Dobson, 2007.) That’s just in the US. While much of that is paid out by the government and insurance company, it can cost individuals money for medications, doctor’s visits, ER visits, and hospitalizations, too. The flu shot is much cheaper. As a preventive service, it is covered by insurance.
If you receive insurance through work, sometimes you can earn savings on your insurance premiums for your preventive med appointment. If you haven’t done it yet, fall may be your last opportunity to do so for the year.
If you are a student, you might think you don’t have a job and it doesn’t matter. But flu can make you miserable long enough to lower your GPA for the semester, making your transcript less impressive to future graduate programs or employers. While it doesn’t always work that way, given the choice between two candidates of equal merit, the candidate with the higher GPA would win.
Health
While it seems obvious that not getting the flu makes you healthier, it also can save you from developing long-term complications from the flu. Most people think “It’s just the flu.” For many people it is. But for some, it can trigger organ failure, myocarditis, and encephalitis. The treatment for flu and its complications is by far worse than getting the flu shot to prevent it in the first place.
Time
Getting the flu shot can both save you time and give you time. When you’re sick, you lose quality of time. No one wants to stay in bed feeling miserable. And if you are dead, you lose quantity of time. Dying from the flu is not something most people consider, but it does happen. It is true that elderly people are by far at greater risk. If you have a loved one who is over the age of 50, getting your flu shot can help them. But even if you don’t live near anyone who is older, 2,184 people 18-49 died from the flu during the 2019-2020 flu season.
Gain both quality and quantity of time by not getting sick to begin with.
Bonus: Romance
Getting the flu shot may not help your romantic life. On the other hand, most people prefer being with people who take good care of themselves. Additionally, dating sucks when you have the flu. So maybe preventive care can at least lend a hand even here!
About the Flu Vaccine
The flu vaccine helps reduce the likelihood that a person catches the flu. It is not a guarantee, but it does help. Those who do develop flu will have less severe symptoms. Pregnant women who receive the flu vaccine can pass the antibodies on to their babies, protecting their infants before they’re old enough to receive the flu vaccine themselves. Getting the flu shot helps protect those around you who may be vulnerable to the flu, including the elderly, infants, and chronically ill.
Can You Get the Flu from the Flu Shot?
The flu shot does not contain a live virus. People who get the flu shortly after receiving the shot usually already had the virus in their system, and it takes a few weeks for the vaccine to become effective.
Conclusion
Unless you are allergic to an ingredient or have another contraindication for the flu shot such as a history of Guillain Barre syndrome, the only downside to getting a flu vaccine is finding the time to get it done. But it is well worth the effort!
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1885332/
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/symptoms.htm
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1127698/influenza-us-deaths-by-age-group/