Page 22 - Waterfall City April Issue 2023

Waterfall City News

BEAT THE FLU

Myth-busting the influenza vaccine

We chat to Dr Cathelijn Zeijlemaker, family physician and director of Netcare’s Primary Care division

M yths and misunderstandings vaccine does not work. Flu symptoms

for those who still get ill are likely to be
about the influenza
vaccine leave many people
milder and last for a shorter time than
vulnerable to seasonal
flu each year. Get the facts, and get those who are not vaccinated.”
a head start protecting your family Most of the time, the influenza vaccine
and vulnerable members of the has no side effects. “When side effects
community by getting the flu shot are experienced, there may be redness,
well before the influenza season. mild swelling and pain over the
injection site, or the person may have a
“No one enjoys the inconvenience mild fever, mild rash, headache or body
and symptoms of having flu, which aches,” Dr Zeijlemaker says.
commonly includes body aches, fever
and coughing. But the flu can cause Serious side effects, such as a severe
severe illness for people at greater risk, allergic reaction, are rare. The amount
including the elderly and those with of egg in the flu vaccine is too small
compromised immune systems,” says to cause an allergic reaction, and it
Dr Zeijlemaker. is therefore recommended that even
Dr Cathelijn Zeijlemaker individuals who are allergic to eggs
Common myths and misunderstandings have routine flu vaccines each year.
around the influenza vaccine should
not deter people from protecting
themselves and others. “The World
Health Organization (WHO) estimates
that flu causes severe illness for between
3 and 4 million people globally each year
and hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Therefore, the WHO supports annual flu
vaccines as the most effective way to
prevent this disease burden,” she says.

“Some people mistakenly think the
flu vaccine doesn’t work because
they have known people who got
the vaccine and got the flu anyway.
People who get sick after getting the
flu vaccine usually do not actually
have the flu, but a cold caused by an
unrelated virus that is not included in
the flu vaccine. This does not mean the

20 Waterfall City Issue 4 2023