With flu season fast approaching, many look to the preventative ‘jab’ to save the day.
The National Health Laboratory Service recently disclosed there would be a delay in the availability of the influenza vaccine this year.
Communities were strongly advised to have the vaccination done the moment it was made available at pharmacies and healthcare centres, sparking concern nationwide.
Debunking the bug
“There was a change in influenza viruses circulating during the 2014 season,” said the NHLS. “As a result, the influenza strains included in the 2015/16 vaccines had to be changed.”
The crucial changes resulted in manufacturing and quality control delays globally, a minor, yet ‘mandatory’ setback.
Health practitioners expressed collective relief, stating they were happy the correct strains had been used, even if that meant the vaccine arrived ‘a little late’.
The general consensus seems to be that getting vaccinated is and always will be the best bet, whether the patient is at-risk or not.
The moment the vaccine hits the shelves, residents are duty-bound to bite the proverbial bullet just in time to keep the sniffles at bay.
Better safe than sorry!
