The 2017 flu season is already at its December peak and many people are asking if it is too late to get a flu vaccine. Many reports have indicated that it is not and are still urging people to get vaccinated.
There are opposing views on the effectivity of a flu vaccine on people. However, there are scientists who are still confident that a flu shot will help shield people from influenza. According to Inverse, people should think about the impact of their decision on other people should they decide not to get vaccinated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists flu as one of the highly infectious illnesses around the world. It also points out that flu vaccine reduces the risk of getting infected by 40% to 60%. However, many experts also warn that the 2017–2018 flu season is a big one and that it could affect the effectivity of the vaccine. Several reports indicate that the flu shots will only reduce the risk by 10% this year.
Many people are also spreading awareness about the concept of Herd Immunity or Community Immunity. As stated by Vaccines.gov, getting flu shots for the entire family or the entire community is essential in reducing the chances of catching the flu. A post on the website also explains that Herd Immunity is important because people do not have the same level of immunity to infection.
Annually, over 290,000 to 650,000 deaths are influenza-related, according to the World Health Organization. WHO also points out that the flu season leads to three to five million severe illness cases.
Medical experts in Texas are predicting a nasty flu season within the state. KHOU still urge people to receive a flu shot to reduce the chances of catching the flu and therefore minimize the risk for the entire family.
