The Science Behind The Flu Shot Worksheet Answers Key

Cecile Faubert - March 13, 2022 - Science Worksheet

The flu shot is a vaccine that can protect you from the flu. The flu shot should be given every 1 year because although it is a mild disease the flu can cause big problems for some people.

The flu shot is important to be given because influenza or flu is very easy to spread. The virus is spread through splashes of saliva or contact with items that have been contaminated with the virus.

If this disease attacks the respiratory tract, symptoms can include dry cough, fever, headache, runny nose, muscle aches, and weakness. Cough symptoms can be very severe and last up to 2 weeks, even leading to death.

The Importance of Giving Flu Shots

Although usually only cause mild symptoms, the flu can also cause serious complications. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the incidence of complicated influenza reaches 5 million cases per year, and the death rate from this disease reaches 650,000 cases worldwide.

Complications due to flu are more at risk for the elderly, pregnant women, children aged 6 months to 5 years, medical workers, and people with certain diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, chronic heart or lung disease, and asthma.

Complications that may occur include pneumonia, central nervous system disorders, and heart disorders such as myocarditis and heart attacks. In addition, the flu can also worsen chronic disease conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and congestive heart failure.

Because there is a possibility that the flu can cause serious complications and even death, it is better to take preventive measures against this disease.

One of the right steps is the administration of the flu shot. With this vaccine, your risk of getting the flu will be reduced or your flu symptoms will tend to be lighter than if you didn’t get the vaccine.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, giving the flu shot is also considered to be able to reduce the risk of severe symptoms of Coronavirus infection. But that doesn’t mean giving this vaccine can prevent you from getting infected with the Coronavirus, right!

Types of flu shot That May Be Given

There are two dosage forms of the flu shot, namely injection and nasal spray. The injectable flu shot contains the inactivated virus. There are two types of injectable flu shots, namely trivalent vaccines and quadrivalent vaccines.

The trivalent vaccine contains 2 types of influenza A virus and 1 type of influenza B virus. Meanwhile, the quadrivalent flu shot contains 2 types of influenza A virus and 2 types of influenza B virus. The more types of viruses contained, the wider the protection. Even so, the trivalent vaccine is also considered sufficient.

The sprayed flu shot contains live, attenuated viruses. This vaccine should only be given to healthy people between the ages of 2–49 years. However, both types of flu shots will not cause the flu in people who receive them.

The flu shot works by building antibodies in a person’s body to fight the influenza virus. the flu shot takes about 2 weeks to stimulate the formation of antibodies by the body.

In cold climates, flu season is in December–February. To be effective, the flu shot is recommended to be given before December. The best time is November or October.

Meanwhile, in tropical countries like Asia, flu outbreaks can occur at any time. Therefore, there is no specific time to get the flu shot. If in the last 1 year you have not received this vaccine, you can immediately ask your doctor for this vaccine. The following is an example of the science behind the flu shot worksheet answers key that can be studied.