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Should People With Diabetes Get The Influenza Vaccine?

Flu symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue.

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Written By: Sponsored | Updated : May 20, 2022 7:57 PM IST

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Should People With Diabetes Get The Influenza Vaccine?

People with diabetes (type 1, type 2, or gestational), even when well-managed, are at higher risk of developing severe influenza (flu) complications, which can result in hospitalization and sometimes even death. 1 Influenza vaccines have a long, established safety and efficacy record for patients with diabetes. 2

Here is a list of reasons why a patient with diabetes should consider getting the influenza vaccine

  1. The risk of influenza infection causing pneumonia is much greater in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetic patients. 3
  2. Diabetes is one of the underlying risk factors for developing community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). 4
  3. Flu and infections can worsen blood glucose control and exacerbate diabetes symptoms, particularly in people whose diabetes is less controlled. 5
  4. Influenza infection with uncontrolled diabetes can also develop severely high blood sugars, which can lead to a hyperglycemic state or diabetic ketoacidosis, both of which require hospitalization.6

All that said, when it comes to treating influenza, for both diabetic and non-diabetic people, prevention is a lot better than cure. Patients who developed an episode of CAP with diabetes have more risk factors which could be reduced with appropriate intervention, including vaccination to prevent successive CAP episodes and hospitalization. 7

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So, what happens if you get infected with the influenza virus? How should you tackle it?

Flu symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people also may have vomiting and diarrhoea, though this is more common in children than in adults. People may be infected with flu and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.8 If you notice any of these symptoms appearing in your body, consult a doctor and refrain from self-medication.

To prevent flu, one should follow these steps9:

  • The flu virus is contagious, so avoid close contact with anyone who is showing probable flu symptoms
  • If you are sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them
  • Wash hands with soap water/ alcohol rub at a regular interval to keep them germ-free
  • Wear a mask if going out in public during flu seasons
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with viruses that cause flu

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the most effective step in protecting against flu viruses.

World Health Organization (WHO) classifies India under the 'South Asia' transmission zone of flu circulation which is more aligned with the Southern Hemisphere (SH) strains.10 The right time to vaccinate for flu is summers/pre-monsoons.

If you're looking to read more about influenza and its vaccination, you can visit Protection Beyond Flu or Ask a doctor by booking an appointment here.

[ References: ]

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/diabetes.htm#:~:text=Injectable%20influenza%20vaccines%20(flu%20shots,record%20in%20people%20with%20diabetes.
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/diabetes.htm#:~:text=Injectable%20influenza%20vaccines%20(flu%20shots,record%20in%20people%20with%20diabetes.
  3. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-people-with-diabetes-need-a-flu-shot/
  4. https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-019-4534-x
  5. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-people-with-diabetes-need-a-flu-shot/
  6. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-people-with-diabetes-need-a-flu-shot/
  7. https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-019-4534-x
  8. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/diabetes.htm
  9. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/prevention.htm
  10. https://acvip.org/professional/columns/influenza-vaccine

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