Flu Vaccination
GET A GRIP ON FLU THIS SEASON
Flu is a worldwide illness that can affect anyone.1,2
Flu spreads quickly and easily through coughing and sneezing.1,3
It causes respiratory infections, which can result in you getting very sick, being hospitalised and even dying.1
There is a higher risk of getting severely sick from Flu (which increases the chances of being hospitalised and dying) if you are:1,3
- Younger than 2 years or older than 65 years
- Pregnant
- Morbidly obese
- Infected with Tuberculosis (TB) or Human
- immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- Affected by chronic diseases like Diabetes or Asthma
- Suffering from chronic cardiovascular or chronic lung disease
- 650,000 people worldwide and approximately 11,800 people in South Africa, die from Flu each year.1,3
- Up to 5 million people worldwide, including more than 45,000 South Africans, get severely ill from Flu each year.1,3 Almost 50% of these affected South Africans need to be hospitalised.3
- Flu is contagious and can have unexpected, severe consequences such as, heart attacks and strokes.1,4
- Getting a Flu vaccine every year is one of the most effective ways to prevent getting Flu, and to reduce getting severely ill, being hospitalised and dying.1,3
- The Flu vaccine also lowers cardiac events among people with heart disease and can reduce worsening and hospitalisation for individuals with chronic lung disease.5
Flu is caused by different strains (types) of Flu viruses.1 These viruses change every year.3 The way in which Flu viruses change affects how sick they make you, and how the Flu vaccine is adapted to make sure that you have optimal protection against Flu each year.3
At a time when healthcare systems are under immense pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to prevent what can be prevented.3
Flu vaccines are one of the most effective ways to prevent Flu.3
Your healthcare professional has prescribed/administered the Flu vaccine from Sanofi Pasteur to you, based on international recommendations to prevent Flu.3
Well done on protecting yourself and those close to you by getting the Flu vaccine!
Medical References
1. World Health Organization. Influenza (Seasonal). Available from: https://www.who.int/newsroom/
fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal). Accessed October 2019. 2. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. Flu Symptoms & Complications. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/
symptoms.htm. Accessed October 2019. 3. Blumberg L, Cohen C, Dawood H, et al. Influenza NICD
Recommendations for the diagnosis, prevention, management and public health response. Available from:
http://www.nicd.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Influenza-guidelines-rev_-23-April-2018.pdf. Accessed
October 2019. 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cold Versus Flu. Available from: https://
www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/coldflu.htm. Accessed November 2019. 5. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Misconceptions about seasonal flu and flu vaccines. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/
prevent/misconceptions.htm. Accessed December 2019. 6. World Health Organization. 5 Myths about
the flu vaccine. Available from: https://www.who.int/influenza/spotlight/5-myths-about-the-flu-vaccine.
Accessed December 2019.
sanofi-aventis south africa (pty) ltd, reg. no.: 1996/010381/07.
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