The DOH’s influenza vaccination drive runs through December. Here’s what you need to know.
By the H&L Editorial Team
Q: Bakit may flu vaccination drive ngayon?
A: Flu-like illnesses have been rising in recent weeks. The DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau reported 11,137 influenza-like illness cases in its latest monitoring period, up from 10,378 in early September. The year-to-date total, 122,514 cases, is actually about 20 percent lower than last year’s — but cases tend to climb as people gather indoors and during the holiday season. The DOH announced that it would release influenza vaccines starting the week after October 25, with a campaign running through December, prioritizing senior citizens, young children and people with pre-existing medical conditions.
Q: Isn’t the flu just a bad cold?
A: For most healthy people, flu means a miserable week of fever, body aches, cough and exhaustion, followed by recovery. But for older adults, young children, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses, flu can lead to pneumonia, hospitalization and sometimes death. Pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of death in the Philippines.
Q: Is it true that flu can trigger a heart attack?
A: Yes. A well-known study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2018 found that the risk of heart attack was about six times higher in the week after a laboratory-confirmed flu infection. Flu causes inflammation throughout the body, makes the blood more likely to clot and puts extra strain on the heart. Several studies have found that flu vaccination is associated with fewer heart attacks and cardiovascular deaths in people with heart disease.
Q: Who should get vaccinated?
A: Ideally, almost everyone over six months of age. The highest priorities are:
• Adults 60 and older
• Children six months to five years
• Pregnant women
• People with heart disease, diabetes, asthma, COPD, kidney disease, liver disease or weakened immune systems
• Health workers and caregivers of high-risk people
Q: Puwede ba akong magka-flu dahil sa flu vaccine?
A: No. The flu shot doesn’t contain live virus that can cause the flu. Some people get a sore arm, mild fever or body aches for a day or two — a sign the immune system is responding. These are much milder than the flu itself.
Q: I got a flu shot last year. Do I need another?
A: Yes. Flu viruses change, and the vaccine is updated regularly to match the strains expected to circulate. Protection also fades over months. That’s why yearly vaccination is recommended.
Q: Can I get the flu shot together with other vaccines?
A: Generally, yes. The flu vaccine can be given at the same visit as COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines. Adults 60 and older should also ask about pneumococcal vaccination, which protects against a common cause of pneumonia.
Q: Where can I get it?
A: Check with your barangay health center, local health office, or your doctor. Private clinics, hospitals and some pharmacies also offer flu vaccines.
Beyond the shot: Wash hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, wear a mask in crowded places if you’re sick or high-risk, and stay home when you have a fever. See a doctor early if a high-risk family member develops flu symptoms; antiviral medicines work best when started within two days.
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