Have you had your flu shot yet this year? If you were planning to skip it, the doctors at Bangkok Hospital Siriroj think you should reconsider.
It does not cause autism.
Let’s clear one thing up right from the start: the flu vaccine does not, nor has it ever, led to developmental problems such as autism in children. There has never been any credible scientific evidence to support this theory and several major, thoroughly researched studies have debunked it. For years, people have spread misinformation about this, leading some parents to choose not to vaccinate their children. This is not only irresponsible, but also extremely dangerous behavior that puts the lives of children at risk. If you want to protect your children, you need to vaccinate them.
Influenza is a more serious disease than many people realise.
Nowadays, people talk about the flu as though it were a minor nuisance like the common cold. However, at various points in history when we did not have a vaccine, strains of the highly contagious influenza virus caused very real damage. The Spanish influenza pandemic in 1918 is estimated to have killed between 20 and 40 million people. It devastated military camps and was especially lethal among children and the elderly.
A vaccine is the only way to combat the influenza virus.
While antibiotics are an effective means of fighting off bacterial infections, a virus is not technically a living organism and cannot be destroyed by them. If you have the flu, you can take medication to minimise the headache, high temperature and vomiting, but only your immune system can beat back the virus itself. A vaccine can keep you from catching and spreading the virus in the first place.
The flu vaccine can save lives.
Even if you are in excellent health, you could put the people around you at risk by refusing to get vaccinated. Elderly people and small children tend to have weaker immune systems, meaning that if they catch the virus from you it could have serious repercussions.
You should get vaccinated every year.
New strains of the influenza virus crop up every year, along with a new vaccine designed to effectively guard you from them. Make sure you get vaccinated to protect yourself and those around you. It only takes a minute and it can make a real difference.
