Why Annual Flu Vaccination Matters for High-Risk Groups

ISLAMABAD: (News Desk) – Every year, particularly during periods of increased respiratory infections, many people develop fever, cough, sore throat, body aches and severe fatigue. Most recover within a few days, leading many to dismiss influenza as “just the flu.” However, influenza can sometimes cause serious complications, including pneumonia, severe respiratory illness, hospitalisation and death.

The infection can also worsen existing medical conditions, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and diabetes. Fortunately, vaccination offers an important way to reduce the risk of influenza and its complications.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), seasonal influenza causes approximately one billion infections worldwide each year, including millions of cases of severe illness and hundreds of thousands of respiratory deaths.

What Is Influenza?

Influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused mainly by influenza A and B viruses. It spreads from person to person through respiratory particles and can also spread through contaminated hands and surfaces.

Common symptoms include sudden fever, dry cough, sore throat, headache, muscle and joint pain, marked tiredness and a runny nose.

Although most healthy people recover without major complications, influenza can become more serious in people with underlying medical conditions and other high-risk groups.

What Is the Influenza Vaccine?

The influenza vaccine is designed to protect against influenza viruses expected to circulate during a particular season. Because these viruses continually evolve, the WHO reviews global surveillance data and recommends updates to vaccine composition twice a year for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere influenza seasons.

Most injectable seasonal influenza vaccines are inactivated vaccines and cannot cause influenza infection. After vaccination, the body needs time to develop protection, which generally takes about two weeks.

Why Is Influenza Vaccination Important?

Vaccination aims to reduce the risk of influenza and its potentially serious consequences, rather than simply preventing a few days of fever and coughing.

Influenza may cause pneumonia, severe respiratory illness, worsening asthma or COPD, cardiovascular complications, hospitalisation and respiratory failure. In vulnerable individuals, it can also be fatal.

Prevention is particularly important for people living with chronic respiratory diseases. Someone with COPD or severe asthma may have a stable condition, but an influenza infection can trigger an acute exacerbation requiring emergency treatment or hospital admission.

Who Should Receive the Influenza Vaccine?

Certain groups face a greater risk of severe influenza and complications. These include:

Pregnant women: Influenza can be more serious during pregnancy. Vaccination is recommended during pregnancy, subject to appropriate medical guidance.

Young children: Children under five, particularly younger children, are at increased risk of influenza-related complications.

Older adults: People aged 65 and above face a higher risk of severe illness and complications.

People with chronic diseases: Annual influenza vaccination is particularly important for people with asthma, COPD, other chronic lung diseases, heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney or liver disease, certain neurological conditions and other significant long-term medical conditions.

Immunocompromised individuals: People with weakened immune systems, including those receiving certain cancer treatments or immunosuppressive medicines, may face an increased risk of severe influenza.

Healthcare workers: Doctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals may have greater exposure to respiratory infections and can transmit influenza to vulnerable patients.

People in these groups should discuss vaccination with their healthcare providers to determine the appropriate vaccine and timing.

Can the Influenza Vaccine Cause the Flu?

No. Injectable inactivated influenza vaccines cannot cause influenza infection.

Some people may experience mild side effects, such as soreness at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle aches or a low-grade fever. These reactions are generally short-lived, while serious allergic reactions are very rare.

When Should You Get Vaccinated?

Ideally, influenza vaccination should be administered before the influenza season begins, allowing approximately two weeks for the body to develop protection. However, vaccination may still offer benefits when given later in the season.

In tropical and subtropical regions, influenza can circulate throughout the year, with periods of increased activity. In Pakistan, vaccination timing should therefore take local influenza patterns, vaccine availability and the current-season formulation into account.

How Much Does the Influenza Vaccine Cost in Pakistan?

The cost varies depending on the manufacturer, formulation, pharmacy and availability.

According to the price information cited in the original article, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) listed the 0.5 mL Vaxigrip Trivalent influenza vaccine at Rs1,293.24 per dose in its July 2026 price listing. This figure should be checked against the current official listing before publication, as registered prices and actual retail prices may differ.

People should obtain the vaccine from a reputable, licensed pharmacy or healthcare provider. Appropriate cold-chain storage is essential to maintain vaccine quality.

Where Can You Get the Influenza Vaccine in Pakistan?

Depending on local availability, influenza vaccination may be offered at major hospitals, vaccination centres, licensed pharmacies, private clinics, occupational-health programmes and other authorised healthcare facilities.

Before vaccination, patients should ask for the current-season influenza vaccine and check its expiry date and storage conditions.

A Message to the Public

As a pulmonologist and public health consultant, I particularly encourage people with asthma, COPD and other chronic respiratory diseases not to overlook influenza vaccination.

Patients with chronic lung conditions may have limited respiratory reserve, and a preventable viral infection can sometimes turn a stable condition into a serious medical emergency.

Older adults, pregnant women, young children, people with diabetes or heart disease, immunocompromised individuals and healthcare workers should also discuss annual influenza vaccination with their healthcare providers.

Vaccination is one part of prevention. Other important measures include improving ventilation, maintaining hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding close contact with others when unwell, staying home while sick and seeking medical attention promptly if severe symptoms develop.

Prevention Is Better Than Hospitalisation

People often spend more time treating disease than preventing it. The importance of influenza vaccination becomes particularly clear when considering those most vulnerable to severe complications.

Do not wait for influenza to develop into pneumonia before thinking about prevention. If you or someone in your family belongs to a high-risk group, consult a healthcare provider about annual influenza vaccination.

Prevention can help reduce the risk of hospitalisation, while protecting vulnerable people is a shared public health responsibility.