Flu season is just around the corner.
Rebecca Hawkins, getting flu shot: "I'm hesitant about getting the flu. You don't wanna get sick and spend time in bed, that's a drag..."
Even with the vaccine technology we have the simple flu can turn deadly. Each year an estimated 36,000 Americans die from influenza-related illness. That's why Rebecca Hawkins got her flu shot today...
Rebecca: "Flu shots are coming out so I thought, 'Why not go ahead and get one.'"
But there are dozens of flu strains. Dr. James Wilde says each year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes an educated guess as to which strains to fight.
Dr. Wilde, GHSU Emergency Medicine: "What we're looking for are the predominant circulating strains and generally what we go with are the three most predominant strains that are circulating and those three go into the vaccine."
This year the flu vaccine protects against H1N1, H3N2, and flu B... that's the same vaccine as last year, which is rare.
Dr. Wilde: "Because we're going to have the same strains in the vaccine this year as last year at least, in theory, we may have a relatively mild season. Unless we get a new strain that emerges."
And if that does happen...
Dr. Wilde: "So if you have a mismatch you're going to have a lot more people getting infected that year."
There's about a 60-80% accuracy in choosing the right strains, which might prompt some people to say, "Why bother with the shot?" But the CDC suggests otherwise...
Dr. Wilde: "And the reason for that is that they want to try to protect the at risk people by preventing the non at-risk from getting flu and spreading it to the at risk people."
So even though Rebecca is not at risk for serious flu complications, she's preventing flu for herself and those around her by getting her shot.
Nurse: "1-2-3" (Rebecca gets flu shot)
Rebecca: "Can I get a lollipop?"
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