Medical Professionals Recommend Influenza Vaccination for Everyone:
Doctors and healthcare experts are strongly advising residents to exercise caution as weather conditions change and to consider getting influenza vaccinations during the flu season, which typically peaks between the monsoon and winter periods. While it’s possible to receive flu vaccines at any time of the year, experts recommend getting vaccinated during the flu season to bolster immunity and reduce the severity of influenza infections.
Dr. Kiran Madhala, a member of the TS Indian Medical Association (IMA) scientific committee, emphasized that statistics have indicated that influenza is responsible for a significant majority, 70 percent, of respiratory infections, surpassing the impact of COVID-19. Those contracting influenza are experiencing prolonged recovery periods, and the mortality rate is higher, ranging from 6 to 25 percent among high-risk populations, particularly children under the age of five and adults over 60, according to Dr. Madhala.
Medical Professionals follow the World Health Organization’s recommendations, releasing batches of flu vaccines twice a year, typically in October or November and April or May, tailored to the prevailing strains. Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh, a senior consultant pediatrician, underscored that children are particularly vulnerable and at high risk of developing chronic conditions such as asthma or immunodeficiency due to influenza.
She further explained that children aged six months to eight years should receive two doses of the vaccine, administered four weeks apart, as recommended by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Shiva Raju K., the head of the medicine department at KIMS Hospital, noted that common symptoms of influenza include high fever, severe body aches, headaches, and throat pain across all age groups. As the winter season approaches, an increase in flu cases is expected, making vaccination especially advisable for individuals like smokers, asthma patients, bronchitis sufferers, and those with allergies.
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