The flu is a disease caused by a virus (from the family of influenzae). After an incubation time of about 2-3 days, the virus causes easily recognizable symptoms:
- high fever (around 39°C),
- chills,
- intense fatigue (asthenia),
- a feeling of depression with loss of appetite,
- muscle (ache) and joint pain throughout the body,
- headaches (headaches),
- a dry, painful cough.
Influenza is a mainly seasonal acute respiratory infection: it rages about 4 months a year in mainland France: during the winter of 2017-2018, influenza was responsible for 75,467 emergency visits and 13,000 deaths.
With the flu, recovery usually occurs within a week, but fatigue may persist for the next 3 or 4 weeks. The dry and “rapid” cough can also persist for two weeks.
Flu: who should get vaccinated?
Flu vaccination is for:
- People aged 65 and over,
- Pregnant women,
- People with chronic diseases: COPD, diabetes, respiratory or renal failure, etc., Obese people, i.e. with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 40,
- People who regularly meet an infant under 6 months or an immunocompromised person (HIV, etc.).
It is necessary to get vaccinated every year because the flu virus evolves from one year to another. In adults, a single injection is sufficient: vaccine protection begins about two weeks after the date of the injection.
How’s it going ? Fragile people for whom vaccination against the flu is strongly recommended (see list above) receive a voucher from the Health Insurance by post. It is also possible to request a voucher from your doctor, midwife, pharmacist or nurse!
On presentation of the voucher, the flu vaccine is free in pharmacies. The injection is then performed by a doctor, a midwife, a nurse, or even a pharmacist under certain conditions.
It’s dangerous ? The adverse effects of flu vaccines are mild: you may feel pain (with redness) at the injection site, muscle aches or headaches accompanied by a slight fever. Allergic reactions are extremely rare.
Sources:
Vaccination schedule – Ministry of Health
Read also :
How to recover well after the flu
Flu: how to avoid contaminating those around you?
Runny nose, chills: is it the flu or a bad cold?
