Most people have a view on getting vaccinated against the flu each winter.
Many, including me, swear by it and every year get jabbed. Others do not like needles but reluctantly go because they believe it is an insurance policy against getting sick. Then there are those who say they don't get the flu vaccine because it actually makes them sick. This is a point of view that I have never quite understood and does not sound right at all. Maybe it is all psychosomatic or possibly they already have flu symptoms when they get the jab.
But putting all that aside, there is no question that getting vaccinated is the best course of action. Ministry of Health figures show that the number of influenza vaccines distributed in the Bay this year was slightly down on the last two years, but that we are more inclined to get vaccinated against the flu than others in the country. The worry is that older citizens, who probably need it more than most, could do better.
Hawke's Bay District Health Board immunisation co-ordinator Fiona Jackson said influenza immunisation coverage for Health Hawke's Bay Primary Health Organisation's enrolled population was up compared with the national coverage at nearly 65 per cent measured at June 30. Nationally, the coverage was just over 63 per cent. For Hawke's Bay's high-needs population of 65 and over, the rate was lower with just under 58 per cent coverage compared with the national coverage of nearly 61 per cent.
The thing about getting vaccinated is that it is free for those 65 years and over, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions. For the rest of us, the cost is quite minimal. So do the right thing, get vaccinated.
