The end of Fall semester means the holidays are coming, and flu season is here.
I prefer the former over the latter. Flu season brings non-stop sniffling and coughing in lecture halls and endless interruptions to the “silence” on library quiet floors. And if you catch the flu from your contagious classmates or friends, you’re out of commission for a week.
The flu vaccine can prevent getting the flu, lessen the severity of symptoms and, most importantly, stop the endless sniffling and coughing.
I know no one enjoys getting jabbed in the arm. But the flu vaccine is an important public safety measure and well worth the minor inconvenience.
How the vaccine works
A frequent complaint about the flu vaccine is that we have to get it yearly. You might think because you’ve gotten flu shots in the past, you can skip out this year.
Unfortunately, the nature of influenza viruses make the annual vaccine necessary. Flu viruses are constantly changing, and a vaccine or infection from last season’s strains won’t sufficiently protect you from this season’s strains.
Can I get the flu from the flu shot?
The flu shot cannot give you the flu. The injected vaccine carries either an inactivated non-infectious virus or a particle made to mimic the influenza virus to trick your immune system. The flu nasal spray is different, as it contains a live, but weakened, virus. Since the virus is weakened, it won’t cause the flu in healthy people.
This might seem confusing because people often experience arm soreness and mild cold symptoms after getting the flu shot. But these symptoms are from your immune system responding to the virus, not from a flu infection.
Because your immune system is reacting to this inactivated virus or mimic particle, it can remember and recognize the virus more quickly when you encounter it again.
Think of the vaccine like practice for your body. If you are exposed to the flu after getting the vaccine, your immune system will have the upper hand, lowering the risk of getting the flu and developing serious illness.
While the common mild symptoms of the vaccine are annoying, these are minimal compared to the longer lasting, and sometimes severe, symptoms from an actual influenza infection.
Why it matters
While common symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, headaches and fatigue, the flu can cause severe illness and sometimes lead to death. Serious complications from the flu include pneumonia, myocarditis, encephalitis, sepsis and multi-organ failure. Worldwide, around 300,000 to 650,000 deaths are caused by flu complications every year.
A viral illness like the flu might not seem like a big deal to you, but it can be for others — especially the elderly, young children and the immunocompromised.
Someone’s outward appearance doesn’t always warn you about how serious a common viral illness could be for them. The 19-year-old sitting next to you in class might be caring for their elderly grandparent or a newborn at home. Your seemingly healthy 32-year-old coworker might be undergoing chemotherapy treatment, which weakens their immune system.
These aren’t just hypotheticals. Last year, my brother almost ended up in the hospital with sepsis during a round of chemo, which all started because of a viral illness he probably caught in class.
Where to get the flu shot
It might surprise you just how accessible the flu vaccine is.
The UF Student Health Care Center offers walk-in flu vaccines for UF students, faculty and staff.
Pharmacies in some CVS, Publix and Walgreens locations have the flu vaccine available for walk-ins and appointments.
Schedule an appointment at a Publix during your next grocery run and knock out two birds with one stone. Both the Publix at University Village Market and Gainesville Shopping Center have appointments available almost every day from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If altruism and self-preservation aren’t big enough motivators, CVS is offering a coupon for $10 off a purchase over $20 if you get your vaccine there. Most CVS locations carry the flu vaccine, including the CVS inside Target at Butler Plaza.
Most insurance plans cover some or all costs of the flu vaccine, and Medicare Part B covers the flu vaccine completely.
If you are 18 years old or younger and are either uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid eligible, American Indian or Alaska Native, you might qualify for free vaccines through the federal Vaccines for Children Program. The Alachua County Health Department is one of multiple local clinics participating in the VFC Program.
Navigating misinformation
I understand it might feel difficult to know who to trust about vaccine safety. I encourage you to always fact-check what you hear or read on the internet.
Reliable sources on vaccines include the World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics and Johns Hopkins Institute for Vaccine Safety.
Always talk to your primary care physician about any concerns.
Lara Caglayan is a 21-year-old UF nutritional sciences senior.
