Flu Vaccination Case Study

Flu Vaccination Influenza (flu) is a contagious viral infections of the respiratory tract caused by the influenza viruses that can cause mild to severe illness. Severe outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death (Influenza (Flu) Viruses, 2014). It is estimated that 5% to 20% of the population of United States (US) gets the flu and of those over 200,000 are hospitalized from the flu or from flu-related complications (Seasonal Influenza Q&A, 2014). In the last 30 years there have been 3,000 to 49,000 flu related deaths per year (Seasonal Influenza Q&A, 2014). Flu seasons are unpredictable do to various strains of the virus and the vulnerability of the population at any given point during a specific flu season. Some people, such as the elderly, the young, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions, are at a higher risk for severe flu complications and death (People at High Risk of Developing …show more content…
Type A and B cause the annual influenza epidemics and while the type C flu symptoms are much less severe (Different Types of Flu: Types A, B, C, and Bird Flu, 2014). Type A flu or influenza A viruses are capable of infecting animals, although it is more common for people to suffer the ailments associated with this type of flu (Different Types of Flu: Types A, B, C, and Bird Flu, 2014). Type A flu virus is the one that is usually responsible for the larger flu epidemics and is the one that is continually changing and mutating (Different Types of Flu: Types A, B, C, and Bird Flu, 2014). The influenza A2 virus (and other variants of influenza) is spread by people who are already infected and the most common spots to acquire the flu are on surfaces that an infected person has touched or sneezed on. Areas like daycares, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, where many people work and live are perfect areas for the Type A flu virus to spread quickly and easily from one person to