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The influenza or flu vaccine is a safe and effective way to help people stay healthy, prevent illness, and even save lives. As people age, they may be at higher risk of complications from influenza. For this reason, seniors age 65 years and older are advised to get an influenza vaccine each year.
The influenza vaccine is provided free to seniors. Call your doctor or local public health unit to get your influenza vaccine or flu shot.
The influenza vaccine is safe. The vaccine contains dead influenza viruses that cannot cause the flu. Common reactions to the vaccine include redness or soreness for 1 or 2 days where the vaccine was given.
Mild symptoms may occur in some people after being immunized, especially those receiving the influenza vaccine for the first time. Symptoms can include fever, headache and aching muscles, and these can start within 6 to 12 hours and end within 24 to 48 hours after the vaccine was given. These symptoms are less severe and last a shorter time compared to influenza infection.
It is important for seniors to get the influenza vaccine before the flu season starts.
In British Columbia, the vaccine is usually available in October. For best protection, you should try to get the influenza vaccine as soon as possible. This gives your body enough time – about 2 weeks – to build immunity before the flu season starts. This immunity lasts through the flu season which usually ends in April.
In addition to the influenza vaccine, seniors should be vaccinated against pneumococcal disease. The pneumococcal vaccine protects against infections of the brain, bloodstream, lungs, or ear. It is safe to get the influenza and pneumococcal vaccines at the same time. Most people only need one dose of pneumococcal vaccine and will not need a booster dose
Influenza vaccination is encouraged and provided free for family members, caregivers, and household contacts of seniors.
Speak with a public health nurse or doctor if you have:
Influenza is an infection caused by the influenza virus.
Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle pain, runny nose, sore throat, extreme tiredness, and cough. Although infections with other viruses may have similar symptoms including fever and cough, those due to the influenza virus tend to be worse.
You can reduce the risk of getting influenza or spreading it to others by:
Influenza spreads easily from person to person through coughing, sneezing, or having face-to-face contact. The virus can also spread when a person touches tiny droplets from a cough or a sneeze on another person or object and then touches his or her own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.
Symptoms can begin about 1 to 4 days, or an average of 2 days, after a person is first exposed to the influenza virus. Fever and other symptoms usually last 7 to 10 days, but the cough and weakness may last 1 to 2 weeks longer.
An infected person can spread the influenza virus even before feeling sick. An adult can spread the virus from about 1 day before to 5 days after symptoms start. Children can spread the virus up to 21 days after symptoms start.
Influenza reduces the body's ability to fight other infections. Bacterial pneumonia, which is an infection of the lungs, is the most common complication from influenza especially in elderly people. Influenza can also lead to more complications for people who have heart, lung or other health conditions. These complications can sometimes be fatal.
For more information on influenza, see the following HealthLink BC Files:
#12b Facts about Influenza (the Flu)
#12c Influenza (Flu) Immunization: Myths and Facts
For information about pneumococcal infection and vaccine, see HealthLink BC File #62b Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine.
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For more HealthLink BC File topics, visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca/healthfiles/index.stm or your local public health unit. Click on www.HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1 for non-emergency health information and services in B.C. For deaf and hearing-impaired assistance, call 7-1-1 in B.C. Translation services are available in more than 130 languages on request. |
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