The flu, caused by the influenza virus, is a highly contagious upper respiratory infection. The virus spreads through aerosolized droplets from an infected person who coughs, sneezes, or even talks. You may contract the flu by inhaling the droplets or by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after touching a contaminated surface.
It’s possible to become infected by someone who’s asymptomatic.
At Associates in Family Medicine, Dr. Mahshid M. Hamidi and our staff provide annual flu shots to our patients in the Clairemont area of San Diego, California, as part of a comprehensive immunization program to prevent disease. Many people wonder if an annual flu shot is really necessary. Here’s what the team has to say.
The influenza virus attacks your nose, throat, and lungs, leading to a number of symptoms:
While the flu usually resolves within 10-14 days of at-home care, some people, such as young children, the elderly, and those who are immunocompromised, can develop serious health complications like pneumonia from a secondary bacterial infection or respiratory failure.
The influenza virus has been around for a very long time, and one strain, the H1N1, was responsible for the pandemic during 1918-1919 that resulted in almost 60 million deaths worldwide. There have been at least three major flu pandemics since that time.
However, it was originally assumed that the flu was caused by a bacterium, and it wasn’t until the 1930s, when the virus was definitively identified, that researchers could begin to make progress toward an effective vaccine.
Part of the difficulty in making a vaccine, and the main reason why you have to get a flu shot each year, is that the virus mutates extremely rapidly, and its uncontrolled spread gives rise to lots of different strains. These strains fall into two main types for humans – influenza A and influenza B.
The shots are formulated each year to account for the 3-4 strains thought to be most prevalent during the upcoming flu season, which, in the US, runs from December to February. It’s best to get your shot about two months before the start, as it takes about two weeks for immunity to build up.
Researchers are constantly developing new technologies to keep ahead of the virus’ many mutations.
A live attenuated vaccine, released as a nasal spray, was first licensed in 2003, and a vaccine using recombinant DNA technology, much like what was used for the COVID-19 vaccine, was approved in 2013. Newer vaccines based on emerging technologies are currently going through clinical trials.
Despite the research and widespread vaccine implementation, seasonal influenza still kills up to 650,000 people a year worldwide. Since we know from the historical record that there’s likely to be another flu pandemic, we need to be as prepared as possible when it happens. That’s why keeping up with your annual flu shot is crucially important.
If you’d like to learn more about the flu vaccine and how you can be prepared, call our office at 858-565-6394 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hamidi, or send us a message online. We also accept telehealth appointments.
