Flu: FAQ

2023 Author: Wallace Forman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 11:04

Flu: FAQ

Is the flu dangerous? What is the current vaccination recommendation? When should I see a doctor? You can find answers to these and other questions here in our flu FAQs!

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• Is seasonal flu a dangerous disease?
• Who is the current flu shot recommended for?
• Which vaccine will be available in the 2019/2020 season?
• I don't belong to any risk group - should I still get the flu vaccine?
• When do I have to see a doctor if I have the flu?
• Wouldn't it be better to just go through the flu to get this immune?
• What should I do if a work colleague shows up at work with symptoms of flu?
• Should people with the flu or contact with flu sufferers take antiviral medication as a precaution?

Is seasonal flu a dangerous disease?

In the majority of cases, seasonal flu is straightforward. Colloquially, however, the flu is often confused with a simple cold (a flu-like infection). The “real” flu caused by influenza viruses is a serious, serious illness and can lead to serious complications - especially in high-risk groups such as infants or people over 65 years of age, with chronic diseases or a weakened immune system. These complications can be very different. Pneumonia is most often the cause of a complicated course.

But other complications such as inflammation of the middle ear, sinuses, heart muscle and pericardium as well as bronchitis, kidney inflammation, inflammation of the meninges and spinal cords or inflammation of the brain can occur. They can be traced back to the flu virus itself or an additional bacterial infection. A mixed infection of the lungs (viral and bacterial) can sometimes occur in people with heart or lung disease. Circulatory failure is also possible. Influenza causes an average of around 1,000 deaths in Austria each year.

Who is the current flu shot recommended for?

According to the official vaccination schedule, the flu vaccination is recommended for all people who want to protect themselves. According to the recommendations of the National Vaccination Board, vaccination is particularly strongly recommended for:

• all persons at increased risk as a result of an underlying condition (chronic lung, heart and circulatory diseases (except hypertension), diseases of the kidneys, neurological diseases, metabolic diseases (including diabetes mellitus) and immune defects),
• Pregnant women and women trying to get pregnant during the influenza season
• Children from the age of 6 months,
• People around newborns,
• People over the age of 50,
• Children / adolescents from 7 months of age to 18 years on long-term aspirin therapy (prevention of a so-called Reye's syndrome). It should be noted that in this case a live vaccine is contraindicated regardless of age,
• People with HIV infection or other diseases that weaken the immune system
• very overweight people (BMI≥40),
• Caregivers (e.g. in hospitals, retirement homes and in the household) and people with household contacts to the aforementioned risk groups,
• Health professionals
• People with frequent public contact and
• general travelers: protection during the trip (e.g. at the airport, on the plane) and at the travel destination. The influenza season occurs in the southern hemisphere about half a year later.

Which vaccine will be available in the 2019/2020 season?

Influenza viruses are very susceptible to mutations. For this reason, the vaccine is adapted annually to the currently circulating strains - so a new vaccination against influenza is necessary every year. The vaccination is available in three forms of administration. The vaccine can be injected into the muscle or administered into the skin (intradermally) with a very thin and short microneedle, almost painlessly. The vaccine applied via the microneedle is only approved from the age of 18. The intranasal vaccine offers a new form of application. This is approved from the age of 24 months to the age of 18, but not available in Austria for the 2019/2020 season. It is important to ensure that all vaccines require a prescription.

Interested parties can read the exact composition of the vaccine for the northern hemisphere on the website of the WHO (World Health Organization). The influenza vaccine for the 2019/2020 season is composed of the antigens of globally circulating variants of viruses in accordance with the recommendations of the WHO and the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). All influenza vaccines approved in Austria contain 3 or 4 of these influenza vaccine strains:

• an A / Brisbane / 02/2018 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus
• an A / Kansas / 14/2017 (H3N2) -like virus
• as well as B / Colorado / 06/2017-like virus (B / Victoria / 2/87 lineage) and / or
• B / Phuket / 3073/2013-like virus (B / Yamagata / 16/88 lineage).

It is recommended that the influenza B virus component for trivalent vaccines (triple vaccines) should be B / Colorado / 06/2017-like virus.

Note This stock composition differs from that of the 2018/2019 season.

Vaccination protection usually starts two to three weeks after vaccination. Given a close relationship between the vaccine virus and the currently circulating virus, this is between 50 and 80 percent. But patients who get influenza despite being vaccinated also benefit from the flu vaccination. Compared to unvaccinated people, they have a significantly lower risk of complications or of dying from them.

The best time to get a flu shot is late October. The vaccination can, however, also be made up at any later point in time (even while flu is already occurring).

Response to influenza vaccination / detailed vaccination schedule

The response to influenza vaccination depends on a number of factors, including:

• the function of the immune system,
• flu illnesses and vaccinations or
• the accuracy of the vaccination in accordance with the seasonal influenza viruses.

It cannot be precisely foreseen which virus strains will actually predominate in Austria in the coming season and how well they will be covered by the vaccine. Therefore, an accurate prediction of the protective effect of influenza vaccination before the season is not possible. However, if vaccinated people fall ill in spite of vaccination, the influenza is usually milder and shorter and with fewer complications

The detailed vaccination schedules for different age and target groups can be found in the information of the BMSGPK recommendation Influenza vaccination ("Influenza vaccination") season 2019/2020 "(status: October 2019).

For more information, see Vaccinate Against Influenza.

I don't belong to any risk group - should I still get the flu vaccine?

The vaccination is generally recommended to anyone who wants to protect themselves. If you have regular contact with someone with an increased risk of complications, the flu vaccination is also recommended. Because this can prevent you from passing the disease on to this person. The vaccination is also generally recommended for travelers: Protection during the trip (e.g. at the airport, on the plane) and at the travel destination. The influenza season occurs in the southern hemisphere about half a year later.

When do I have to see a doctor if I have the flu?

A visit to the doctor is not always necessary with the flu. However, if symptoms worsen or if they last for more than a week, it is recommended that you seek medical attention. People with an increased risk of complications should carefully monitor the course of the disease and contact a doctor immediately if problems arise.

Wouldn't it be better to just go through the flu to get this immune?

No, the risk of serious complications for healthy people is small, but it cannot be completely ruled out. In addition, there is a certain risk that the disease will be transmitted to a person with an increased risk of complications (e.g. pregnant women, infants, the chronically ill, people with immunodeficiency). Such behavior can also have economic repercussions if there is a slowdown in the economy due to a flu epidemic, if railways, airlines, telecommunications companies and administrative bodies have to restrict their activities because their staff is sick. It is therefore everyone's responsibility to limit the transmission of flu to protect their own health and that of others, and to maintain a functioning society.

What should I do if a work colleague shows up at work with symptoms of flu?

The best thing to do is to make him aware that he should go home and cure the flu there and, if necessary, contact a doctor. It is important that the sick not only stay at home until the symptoms have completely subsided, but also for a day after that. In addition, flu sufferers should strictly avoid contact with people who are at risk.

Should people with the flu or contact with flu sufferers take antiviral medication as a precaution?

Experts warn against improper intake of antiviral drugs and therefore strongly advise against taking them without a doctor's prescription or ordering them over the Internet. Due to the rather mild course of the disease to date, therapy and, in particular, prophylaxis with antiviral drugs are rarely necessary. Use is particularly indicated in patients with a severe course of the disease or if they belong to the risk categories. In these cases, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate therapy.