2008 Woodie Awards
Preparation is the key to flu season stamina
Alexander Tingey
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: Health
Symptoms of the flu include: chills, fever, body aches especially in the lower back, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness and fatigue. Most people will take between one and two weeks to recover from the flu however, to the elderly and the chronically ill, the flu can be a fatal ailment. Chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and ear infections are signs of a weakened immune system, and individuals who are subject to this are encouraged to get the vaccine annually.
The Center for Disease Control estimates that between 10 and 20 percent of the US population will come down with the flu each season, with the number of people affected depending on the severity of that season's particular strain. One reason for the difficulty in treating and preventing influenza is due to the rapidly multiplying and mutating forms of the virus. Technically, there are three parent strains of the virus, known simply as Influenza A, B and C. However there are thousands of mutations between the parent and the common virus, thus making total prevention nearly impossible. The highly mutable forms of the virus makes it futile to reuse vaccines and each year a new strain of weakened virus is chosen to represent what is essentially the American Idol of viruses.
Accoriding to the CDC, "the viruses in the flu shot are inactivated, so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. The risk of a flu shot causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. However, a vaccine, like any medicine, may rarely cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it."
One step towards defeating the winter's nastiest cold comes in a syringe. The flu vaccine has proven to be effective in increasing the recipient's immune system, making it easier to defend against a full scale infection. Nurse O'Brien at Marist College's Health Service's Office strongly suggests Marist students to make an appointment for the vaccine which they are now offering.
The Center for Disease Control estimates that between 10 and 20 percent of the US population will come down with the flu each season, with the number of people affected depending on the severity of that season's particular strain. One reason for the difficulty in treating and preventing influenza is due to the rapidly multiplying and mutating forms of the virus. Technically, there are three parent strains of the virus, known simply as Influenza A, B and C. However there are thousands of mutations between the parent and the common virus, thus making total prevention nearly impossible. The highly mutable forms of the virus makes it futile to reuse vaccines and each year a new strain of weakened virus is chosen to represent what is essentially the American Idol of viruses.
Accoriding to the CDC, "the viruses in the flu shot are inactivated, so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. The risk of a flu shot causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. However, a vaccine, like any medicine, may rarely cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it."
One step towards defeating the winter's nastiest cold comes in a syringe. The flu vaccine has proven to be effective in increasing the recipient's immune system, making it easier to defend against a full scale infection. Nurse O'Brien at Marist College's Health Service's Office strongly suggests Marist students to make an appointment for the vaccine which they are now offering.
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