MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Abstract: The following document serves a review of the current and well-established literature surrounding influenza vaccination, with the aim of informing the segment of the population who is less informed or equivocal about whether or not to vaccinate. Many people choose not to get the annual influenza vaccine, and often cite the fact that it changes every year and has unpredictable and often low efficacy. Concerns about efficacy are valid, more so in some years than others, and touch on an low-efficacy years, confer a degree of protection that actually varies based on the percentage of the population that is vaccinated. A principle called herd immunity drives this phenomenon, and is a crucial element of any vaccine’s effectiveness. Additionally, the benefits of vaccination go beyond individual immunity. The CDC estimates that influenza vaccination prevented approximately 7.2 million illnesses, 3.1 million medically attended illnesses, and 90,000 hospitalizations associated with influenza in 2013-2014 alone. From an immunological perspective, repeated annual exposure will greatly expand your immune repertoire, and help your body develop more broad immunity to flu pathogens. This immunity can become especially important as you age, as old people are one of the more at-risk demographics for flu illness.

Reader's Response: I am happy that I now know the basics of individual and herd immunity. I am now more motivated to get the influenza vaccine and protect myself and others from this potentially dangerous illness. I was unsure about whether to get the shot because I have heard that it is often ineffective, but now that I know more about expanding my immune repertoire, I am more than content to receive a moderate to low efficacy shot.

L -- you need to imagine a difficult or resistant reader. :(

Will you look at cytokine and immune reactions? Sepsis?