Time to get protection against the flu strain, Influenza A virus

ISLAMABAD: Health care providers, children under five years of age, pregnant women, the elderly and those with heart or kidney disease or those who are immunocompromised including those with diabetes. , are most at risk of contracting seasonal ‘Influenza A’ disease. Which appears as a major health hazard in this region of the country every winter.

Epidemiologists and health professionals urge the community, especially high-risk populations, to get vaccinated against influenza A disease. Experts say that it is the need of the hour to create awareness among the public that prevention of influenza A virus is the best option and those at high risk should get vaccinated against the infection as the vaccine is available in the market.

It is important that the vaccine available in the market against influenza A is prepared from the strains of viruses circulating in the world and every year in October a new vaccine comes on the market. Experts say that prevention against influenza A is important because it can seriously affect the population in the coming days.

Studies show that the vaccine protects against seasonal flu for up to a year. The disease season starts in winter and after becoming epidemic it causes morbidity and mortality in the months of December and January. Seasonal flu is the same disease that has infected thousands of people worldwide and is named the influenza AH1N1 2009 infection.