Have the sniffles? Here’s why you should get the flu vaccine

During the colder months, there is typically an increase in instances of influenza, commonly known as the flu.

The flu is a sudden respiratory tract infection caused by influenza viruses of types A, B or C, which circulate globally at various times of the year.

“In South Africa, the highest number of reported flu cases typically occurs between May and September annually,” said SANOFI Aventis, a pharmaceutical company.

With this in mind, it is crucial for individuals, particularly those with chronic illnesses and who are more susceptible to catching the flu and experiencing severe complications, to get their annual flu vaccine.

Transmission and spread of the flu

The flu has the ability to rapidly transmit from person to person when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, releasing virus-laden droplets into the air.

Additionally, it can be transmitted through contact with contaminated hands carrying the virus. Annually, the flu is responsible for causing up to 650 000 deaths worldwide, with a significant concentration of these cases occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

In South Africa alone, there are over 11 000 flu-related deaths reported each year, and nearly 50% of individuals in the country who contract severe flu require hospitalisation.

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Signs and symptoms of flu

The seasonal flu is typically identified by the abrupt emergence of symptoms such as fever, dry cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, intense fatigue, sore throat, and a runny nose.

The cough associated with the flu can be quite severe and persist for two weeks or longer. In most cases, individuals recover from the fever and other symptoms within a week without needing medical intervention.

However, certain high-risk populations are more susceptible to experiencing severe illness or even death as a result of the flu.

Who is at risk?

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has identified individuals who are at the highest risk of developing severe or complicated influenza as follows:

• Pregnant women and women up to 2 weeks after giving birth;
• Young children (particularly those under 2 years of age);
• Persons over the age of 65 years;
• Individuals who are morbidly obese (e.g. body mass index (BMI) of ≥40);
• HIV-infected individuals;
• Individuals with tuberculosis.

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Flu vaccine update

Dr. Lourens Terblanche, Medical Head for Sanofi Vaccines in South Africa, says the influenza virus evolves constantly.

“Twice a year the World Health Organization (WHO) makes recommendations to update vaccine compositions.”

He says that patients who are known to be at high risk for developing severe or complicated illness as a result of contracting the flu should prioritise immunisation every year.

Dr. Terblanche also advices individuals to receive the flu vaccine prior to the onset of the flu season to maximise its effectiveness.

However, he emphasises that getting vaccinated at any point during the flu season can still offer protection.

“Lower levels of circulating influenza virus over the last two or three flu seasons may have led to lower levels of herd immunity than usual, which may mean a build-up of susceptible individuals in the coming season,” he explains.

He added that due to the fact that a large number of infants and young children have never been exposed to flu, it may result in higher infection levels in these younger age groups, who in turn can infect other members of the household.

Reducing ICU admissions and deaths

According to a study conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2021, it was found that among adults who were hospitalised due to the flu, those who had received the flu vaccine had a 26% reduced risk of being admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and a 31% lower risk of death from the flu, in comparison to individuals who had not received the vaccine.

“It is important to remember that the flu vaccine will not prevent Covid-19 and vice versa; therefore, it is important to ensure that you are vaccinated against both. Simultaneous infection with flu and Covid-19 can result in severe disease,” says Dr Terblanche.

Can you get flu vaccine and Covid-19 vaccine on same day?

The Department of Health’s current guidelines state that it is permissible to receive both the flu and Covid-19 vaccinations on the same day, as long as they are administered in separate arms.

“In South Africa, annual flu recommendations encourage individuals at high risk of severe complications to get vaccinated. Remember that even healthy individuals above the age of six months who wish to protect themselves and those around them from getting the flu should also consider vaccination annually,” said Dr Terblanche.

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