As flu season approaches, this year’s new influenza (flu) vaccine is now available to help you stay well this winter.
Monash Health’s Director of Infectious Diseases, Professor Allen Cheng, penned an article in The Conversation on protecting yourself and others from the flu with this year’s influenza vaccine.
“Like other vaccines, influenza vaccines work by ‘training’ the immune system on a harmless component of the influenza virus (known as an antigen), so it can respond appropriately when the body encounters the real virus,” says Professor Cheng.
It is important to protect yourself with the 2024 flu vaccine as influenza strains are constantly changing due to genetic mutation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) review the strains that go into the vaccine twice each year, then selects vaccine strains to match the next season’s predicted circulating strains.
“Since the COVID pandemic, both northern and southern hemispheres have had early flu seasons. So it’s probably safest to get your vaccine early,” recommends Professor Cheng.
Influenza vaccination is particularly important for those at highest risk of severe illness, including:
- Older adults (65 years and over)
- Those with chronic medical conditions
- Young children (6 months to 5 years)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- People who are pregnant (to protect both the mother and the baby for the first months of life)
Seasonal influenza vaccinations for 2024 are now available at your local GP and pharmacy.
To read The Conversation article, visit: https://theconversation.com/there-are-new-flu-vaccines-on-offer-for-2024-should-i-get-one-what-do-i-need-to-know-226623