The flu vaccine is not, as is often believed, to protect against a cold or flu, but to protect against complications caused by this virus, such as pneumonia. However, there are two groups of people who are at higher risk of complications: pregnant women and people who are overweight or obese.
Influenza vaccine in pregnant women
Pregnancy is a stage of multiple physical changes, including the defense system. Applying it means benefiting the baby who is on the way.
“Influenza vaccination has been associated with reducing the risk of premature birth. Being born prematurely is a disgrace for a baby’s health and the challenges for her health are immense,” explained Edwin Silva, infectious disease specialist at the Shaio Clinic Foundation.
He added that “it has been shown that influenza vaccination in pregnant women reduces the risk of low birth weight, because an episode of influenza can cause delays in the growth of the fetus.” In addition, “there is passage of antibodies through the placenta.”
Dr. Silva specified that the influenza vaccine in pregnancy “is administered from week 14, which is when the entire embryogenic period has ended, and these risks to the health of the embryo and the formation of the embryo can be avoided. “.
“But, after week 14, the embryo is fully formed and we begin the fetal stage, the fetus is simply gaining growth and there the vaccine is completely safe,” he added.
Influenza vaccine in overweight and obese people
“People with obesity have an altered response in their immune system. In layman’s terms, when an obese person gets the flu, they are at much higher risk of developing not only viral pneumonia, but also severe lung damage from the flu and a much higher risk of ending up in an intensive care unit with mechanical ventilation. or even in an extracorporeal life support unit or in the need for a lung transplant,” indicated the infectious disease specialist.
When to apply the flu vaccine?
Dr. Silva recalled that the recommendation is to get vaccinated “once a year and, for Colombia, the WHO recommendation is to do it in the month of April with the strain or with the group of strains defined in the vaccine that is administered for the hemisphere. south”.
There are few exceptions or contraindications for not being immunized against this disease, such as being under 6 months of age or having a severe allergy to any of the ingredients in the dose.
And although it comes out in April, you can get the flu vaccine any time of the year.
2023-11-20 20:41:10
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