With another flu season looming, experts are urging certain high risk groups to go and get vaccinated – and to do so on time.
The virus can be particularly harmful and sometimes even fatal to over-65s, pregnant women and sufferers from chronic illnesses, as these groups are all particularly vulnerable.
Dangers of flu are underestimated
A number of surveys have revealed that those particularly at risk often don’t follow the vaccination recommendations because they “feel happy and healthy,” doctor Kamilla Grønborg Laut told TV2.
“But if you belong to one of the risk groups, there is a high probability that a case of the flu can become serious.”
Ignoring the recommendations has proved dangerous
However, despite the annual vaccination recommendation from the National Board of Health, a total of 8,000 Danes had to be hospitalised during last year’s flu season, and over 1,500 people died as a result of the virus.
A staggering 95 percent of all fatalities were found to have belonged to a risk group – yet more than half had not been vaccinated.
‘Composing’ a vaccination
As different influenza viruses currently exist, a vaccine dose aims to offer protection against different types of flu.
In developing this year’s serum, researchers have looked at the flu types already existing that have occurred in the rest of the world, trying to predict which viruses could be expected in Denmark this winter.
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Vaccines free of charge for people at risk
Seasonal influenza vaccination is offered free each year to people particularly at risk, such as pregnant women in their second and third trimesters or to persons with an immunodeficiency.
Laut emphasises that people should be vaccinated as soon as possible because it could take up to several weeks before they are immunised.
While a vaccination significantly reduces the chance of coming down with flu, there is no guarantee that it will prevent people from contracting the disease.
