The flu shot is back!
Like every year, your employer is once again promoting the flu shot. Although the vaccination of health workers is voluntary, it is strongly recommended to avoid being sick, transmitting the flu to patients and to escape outbreaks of the flu. The flu shot becomes fully effective after two weeks and protects for a year. The vaccine is safe and effective, you cannot get the flu from it, because only vaccines without the live virus are used. Three strains of the most commonly used in the southern hemisphere have been selected to make up the vaccine for the 2012-2013 campaign.
Some possible side effects:
- Local sensitivity at the injection site (about 1 in 3 people)
- Fever, general malaise and muscle aches (about 1 in 4 people)
- Allergy (eggs, chicken proteins, preservatives)
- Oculo-Respiratory Syndrome (ORS) (1.9 cases per 100,000 doses of vaccine)
The vaccine for the flu is safe for a pregnant woman. It is even recommended to protect her health and that of her baby given that influenza poses a risk for a pregnant woman and can cause an abortion or premature births.
If you were not able to be vaccinated during your employer’s vaccination campaign and want to be, contact the health-services office in your institution.
How to distinguish between the flu and a cold
The flu:
- Starts suddenly with a fever lasting 2 to 5 days, severe headaches, aches and muscle aches, sometimes intense, excess fatigue, nausea and vomiting, severe chest pain, persistent cough for two weeks.
The cold:
- Congestion, nasal drip, sore throat, chest pain (sometimes), mild to moderate cough.
Lastly, remember the position taken by the FIQ to respect the right to freedom of choice regarding vaccination for its healthcare professional members.
Do you know ?
The influenza virus lives for 5 minutes on hands and up to 48 hours on surfaces (telephone, clothing, keyboard, etc.).
Only 29% of health workers carrying the influenza virus miss work.
The contagious period for influenza is between 24 and 48 hours before symptoms appear and up to 5 days after symptoms appear.
Those people that are contagious do not always have symptoms.
About 25% of health workers get the influenza virus over the course of the winter
Every person who contracts influenza contaminates 3 or 4 people around them (children, parents, colleagues, patients, etc.).