An Evaluation of the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine

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Recommended: History of vaccinations

During the frigid winter months, the flu takes ahold of the entire country, constraining it in a cough-ridden, congested grasp until taking its leave in the warm months of spring. Several strains of the influenza virus compose collectively of the flu, and these strains mutate — or alter their genetic composition — as the virus creeps into and out of the people and animals it infects. Throughout the year, researchers and doctors scramble to find the most effective prevention for the evasive flu so that one may not feel its wrath. Their main weapon, the vaccination, comes with an apprehensiveness that extends beyond a dread of needles. For the vaccine’s dependence on a prediction, many blast the injection as ineffective and temporary: the flu virus’ mutations necessitate the development of a new shot every year. (Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine, CDC.gov) Others contend that the shot can harm as much as the virus itself, pointing to the potential for allergic reactions and sometimes severe side effects as evidence. With the risk of side effects and unclear effectiveness in mind, many will elect to either not vaccinate or seek treatment after the flu hits; a common treatment for the flu, the antiviral, disintegrates the virus after it strikes, yet its effectiveness has increasingly declined. While the flu vaccination does not provide comprehensive protection against the influenza virus, the vaccine, in conjunction with other precautionary — not reactionary — measures, provides the needed defense against contraction. Additionally, while a potential recipient should weigh the risk of side-effects and allergic reactions, a doctor can predict allergic reactions by the patient’s medical history and by running tests; other side-effect...

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"Vaccination & Vaccine Safety." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2014. .
"Vaccine Effectiveness - How Well Does the Flu Vaccine Work?" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, 31 Jan. 2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .
"What You Should Know About Flu Antiviral Drugs." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 Sept. 2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .

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