Sajila Nudrat | Health Editor
Featured Image: Flu vaccine has been shown to reduce flu related illnesses. | Courtesy of Creative Commons
It’s that time of the year again, where the leaves change colours, GPA’s suffer, and the human body loses its patience with temperature fluctuations. With flu season fast approaching, it’s important to educate oneself on what exactly that may mean.
Influenza (flu) is a contagious infection of the nose, throat and lungs. According to Toronto Public Health, each year around five to 10 per cent of adults are infected. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: fever, cough, muscle aches, fatigue, and nausea.
Most people will recover within a relatively short time frame—one week to 10 days. However, in some cases individuals are exposed to complications such as pneumonia, ear infections, or dehydration. Approximately 3,500 Canadians die each year due to influenza.
In terms of deterrence, according to health and medical professionals, the best method to prevent influenza is getting the flu vaccination. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone receive the flu vaccination annually to maximize protection, as immunity wears off within a year. Along with vaccination, individuals should take precautionary measures such as washing their hands frequently, covering a cough or sneeze, and keeping a careful distance from people who are sick.
However, some people believe that cautionary measures are enough to prevent the flu, and vaccination is simply not needed. Some anti-vaccination supporters argue that it hinders the immune system’s ability to perform at an optimal level, that enough research has not been conducted, and that some may even have potentially harmful side effects.
Shayandeep Das, a second year health services financial management major weighed in on the debate. “I’m pro vaccination and anybody who is against it should read about how poor people die of diseases like whooping cough, shingles, polio, paralysis, etc. If someone does not believe in vaccination I am very sure they haven’t taken a single science course and especially an epidemiology related course.”
Das continues, “coming from a family of doctors I have seen people die of communicable diseases and those were preventable. Unfortunately, people did not have access to vaccines.”
A common misconception about vaccinations is that they impede cognitive abilities and can cause developmental problems. “The biggest criticism that pro vaccine people get is the autism case, and that vaccines cause autism. However, autism is mostly genetic and starts appearing at the same age when the vaccine against rota is given. So people blame the vaccine; that’s not only a logical fallacy called cum hoc ergo, propter hoc, it’s highly unscientific.”
If you’re interested in learning more, York provides resources and information via the school of nursing.
