What Happens When You Skip The Flu Vaccine And Why Getting It Could Save Lives

Skipping the flu vaccine may seem harmless, but it increases your risk of severe illness and puts others in danger. Here's why the flu shot matters for your health and community.

Skipping the flu vaccine can have serious consequences.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

{By: Dr Agam Vora}

As flu season approaches, the question on many minds is: “Is the flu shot really necessary?” While some may feel healthy or rarely fall ill, skipping the flu vaccine can have serious repercussions — not just for you, but for those around you. In India, the flu affects about 5-10% adults and 20-30% children annually, leading to severe illness and even life-threatening complications . According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), seasonal influenza causes 3 to 5 million serious illnesses and results in up to 650,000 deaths globally each year.  Unlike the common cold, the flu can lead to complications like pneumonia, heart attacks, strokes, and hospitalisations, particularly among vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing conditions or weakened immunity.

The flu vaccine, particularly the trivalent vaccine recommended by the WHO, is a critical tool in preventing influenza and its severe consequences. This vaccine, which protects against three key strains of the flu virus, significantly reduces mortality rates, hospital admissions, and the overall transmission of the virus. It’s especially important for high-risk groups like children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic illnesses. With the ongoing global health challenges, vaccination remains the most effective defence against influenza, safeguarding both individual and public health.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals recognised the urgency of vaccination in protecting themselves and their communities. Despite initial fears and misinformation, high levels of vaccine acceptance were achieved, driven by visible health risks. Today, however, vaccine hesitancy is emerging in some populations concerning the seasonal flu shot, with many perceiving the flu as “less serious” compared to COVID-19. This comparison overlooks the very real risks associated with the flu and its potential to overwhelm healthcare systems, especially when vaccination rates are low. Just as the COVID-19 vaccine became essential for public health, the flu vaccine is an equally crucial safeguard for the population. It is time to recognise the flu shot as just as important — a step that was already embraced for COVID-19 — to protect ourselves and our loved ones from severe illness.

The Risk Of Skipping The Flu Vaccine

The risk of contracting the virus is significantly increased—by as much as 40 - 60%, if the flu vaccine is not received. Symptoms of the flu, such as high fever, body aches, chills, cough, and fatigue, are commonly experienced. In vulnerable cases, the illness can escalate into pneumonia or lead to hospitalisation. High-risk groups, including the elderly (65 years and above), young children, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic illnesses like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, are particularly at risk.

Even healthy individuals who don't get vaccinated put others at risk. They might transmit the flu up to 1 day before the symptoms appear and up to 5 - 7 days after becoming sick, unknowingly spreading the virus to co-workers, family members, or immunocompromised individuals, which may contribute to outbreaks in the community.

How Flu Vaccine Works

The flu vaccine boosts your immune system in advance. It stimulates your body to produce antibodies by exposing it to weakened or inactive strains of the virus. Once you're exposed, the antibodies are in position to handle the real deal. Even though it’s never 100% effective, studies indicate that it’s less likely that vaccine recipients end up getting severely ill. Even if you do come down with the flu, usually the symptoms are less severe and don’t linger as long as in unvaccinated persons.

Community Protection And Herd Immunity

Getting vaccination protects people who cannot be vaccinated by age or illness and helps gradually slow the progress of the virus.
Skipping the flu vaccine can break that line of protection. Outbreaks are more likely, especially in workplaces, nursing homes, and schools. In a nutshell, foregoing vaccines doesn't just affect you—it can harm someone else.

Patients who have CKD are typically more susceptible to infections like the flu. The flu in some patients can be linked with hospitalisation, higher mortality, and worsening of kidney function. The most susceptible are typically patients on immunosuppressive therapies, such as those on chemotherapy for cancer or ones who have been on an organ transplantation. In CKD patients, a mild case of flu infection can rapidly worsen in severity and culminate in hospitalisation or, in extreme situations, mortality.

Even if it does not feel like a big deal to skip the flu vaccine, skipping it places you at a greater likelihood of getting infected and propagating a preventable disease. In addition to protecting yourself, getting vaccinated every year also assists in protecting the community.

Dispelling Typical Myths

Some are afraid that the flu vaccine causes the flu, so they won't get it. This is a lie. You are unable to come down with the flu from the vaccine since it contains inactivated viruses or non-infectious substances. Side effects are typically mild and temporary, such as injection site soreness or low fever, and go away quickly.

Some individuals feel if they never developed the flu, they do not require the vaccine. But prior immunity from having the flu does not equal immunity from a brand new type of flu. The flu changes all the time and varies annually.

Flu vaccine is a quick, safe, and effective method of protecting yourself and the people around you. Even if it does not feel like a big deal to skip the flu vaccine, skipping it places you at a greater likelihood of getting infected and propagating a preventable disease. In addition to protecting yourself, getting vaccinated every year also assists in protecting the community

The author, Dr Agam Vora, is a Sr Consultant Pulmonologist, at Karuna Hospital, Borivali, Mumbai.

[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article is shared by experts and is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]