Parents encouraged to vaccinate children against flu

The drop in temperatures, as well as the arrival of winter, is usually met with lifestyle adjustments.

This time of the year has also been dubbed the flu season and members of the community are advised to vaccinate against the virus.

Bedfordview pediatric nurse, Sister Marion Wing, believes parents should also have their children vaccinated.

She said babies from six months of age can be vaccinated against flu.

The mother of two daughters, Jessica (25) and Jenna (22), lives in Kensington and works as a pediatric nurse at a baby clinic in Bedfordview.

She has been in the nursing industry since 1979.

“Babies younger than six months old are at a higher risk of serious flu illnesses, but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for, or who live with them, should be vaccinated to protect them from the virus,” said Sr Wing.

According to Sr Wing, the flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be the most common during the upcoming season.

“Available flu vaccines are made to protect against three different flu viruses (trivalent vaccines). Trivalent vaccines protect against two influenza A viruses (H1n1 and H3N2) and the influenza B virus,” said Sr Wing.

She said the common belief that people can get ill from the vaccines was not true.

“One cannot get flu illness from the vaccine. Flu vaccines that are administered with a needle are currently made in two ways; flu viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ and are therefore non-infectious and those with no flu viruses at all, also known as the recombinant influenza vaccine,” she said.

Sr Wing said common side effects from the influenza vaccines include redness, soreness, tenderness and swelling where the injection was given.

Low-grade fever headaches and muscle aches may also occur.

She said people have misconceptions about vaccines, which are misleading.

“Some believe that vaccines may cause many harmful side effects, illness and even death. Others think the immune system gets overloaded. All these are not true. When in doubt, it is always advisable to seek advice from your medical practitioner,” she said.