The flu vaccine

As soon as I entered at my office, the phone rang, it was the assistant of the Human Resource Dept. and ask us (my office mate) to go their office. The time we arrived we were welcome by the personnel of the City Health Office to facilitate the vaccination of flu, we are handed a form and filled up our personal details, and ask several questions, like if we do have some allergies of eggs and chicken, in antibiotics, or if having colds. We are all good and the nurse starts to grab my right arm and squeeze a sterile piece of cotton and start injecting the vaccine, then my palms are sweating (fear the injection lol). Then other employees are coming in to have vaccinated. 


The ideal  time  to get  vaccinated is between October and November. [1]The vaccine is made using dead flu viruses, for which reason it can never cause  the illness in you. It can cause  you mild symptoms, which affect 15-20% of patients and in rare  cases causes fever or illness.
In the event  of severe illness or fever over 39ºC, consult  the nursing  staff  or  pharmacist who  normally  deals  with  you, before  getting  vaccinated.
The vaccine  is not advisable if you have suffered  an allergic reac- tion to a previous dose or if you are allergic to any component of the vaccines, such as egg.
This vaccine protects against flu, but not against the common  cold. There are no vaccines against colds.


Anti-flu vaccination is advisable if:

• You are a person with a high risk of suffering  complications with flu.You are over 60 years old.

• You suffer from chronic disorders of the heart,  bronchial  tubes  or kidneys.

• You are diabetic  or your defences are reduced for other  reasons. 

You should  also get vaccinated if:

• You  are  in the  second or  third  trimester of   pregnancy  during the flu vaccination period.

• Anti-flu  vaccination  is  advisable  for  children   with chronic pulmonary or metabolic disorders and in peo- ple residing  in institutions.

• You look after  sick people at home  you should  also be vaccinated.

Vaccination  is also recommended for:

• People in contact with  these high-risk  groups   and  might  pass  flu on  to them, and for people working in essential public services (such as health staff, fire- fighters,  police, etc.)

[1] Generalitat de Catalunya Department de Salut