Flu Season Vaccinations, Get em Now

Every year, 30-50,000 people die of the flu in the U.S., and the numbers in China (while not being totally reliable) are expected to be proportionally the same. One misconception about the flu season is that it is short, maybe lasting two or three months. In fact, the flu season is much longer than that, sometimes last from September to March (7-8 months)! Peak of cases happens in February.

It is the leading cause of absenteeism at school and work, and one of the biggest contributors to productivity loss at work. So not only does that mean lower average grades in the classroom, but it also means a loss in revenue for some companies. It’s well-known that employers who work to prevent widespread flu in their offices are able better retain their work force, especially in workplaces where there is a large number of people in a small space.

One of the best ways to avoid getting sick during flu season is to get yourself vaccinated before the season starts. It’s a bad idea to wait until others are getting sick before you decide to get the flu shot. Not only do you increase the chance you’ll get sick, but you’ll probably also have to deal with the long lines at your local clinic. If you’re an employer, strongly encouraging all your employees to get the shot is a wise decision. “If you were to come here in October or November, you will see the long lines of people just waiting to get a shot,” says Dr. Yong Lee, a senior ParkwayHealth physician with more than 17 years of experience.

Typically, every year the composition of influenza changes, which means the vaccinations change as well. 2011 is a unique year, though, because the strain of flu virus is nearly the same composition as last year. But even if you had a flu shot last year, you should still consider getting a booster shot to help raise your level of antibodies.

What Expat Parents Need To Know

The shots are distributed by the Center for Disease Control, a global health institution. Vaccines are created based on global influenza patterns, which means that the composition of the shot you’ll get in Shanghai is the same as if you were in Los Angeles. This is an important point, because many expat parents are concerned about vaccines made in China.

“The drugs are actually not made [in China], but they are processed here,” says Dr. Lee. Different districts around Shanghai may have competing brands of the drug, but the composition of the vaccine is nearly identical. Even the processing of vaccines, which includes putting it into vials and packaging them for sale, is done by (mostly) U.S. and European companies. Parent can get their kids’ immunization records stamped with the lot number and brand of the shot, so parents can rest easy that their children’s record will be internationally-recognized.

In addition, some parents are concerned about the use of Thimerisol in certain flu shots, which is a mercury preservative. This is only an issue with multiple-dosage shots. The reason Thimerisol is used in these types of shots is to keep the vaccine pure, but in single-dosage vials (which is the only type of shot offered by ParkwayHealth) Thimerisol is not used.

It takes two weeks to build up immunity to the flu virus, so that means you shouldn’t wait until everyone around you gets sick! If you live or work around large numbers of people in small spaces, you’re at risk and you should consider getting a flu shot. If you are part of a high-risk group (chronic disease, asthma, pregnant) then you’re even more likely to get sick from the flu, so those groups should DEFINITELY get vaccinated.

The cost of the vaccine varies by district and distribution center. As you might know, some facilities are better than others in terms of quality. The volume at some local facilities is high, which means you may get ushered through the clinic rather quickly. People can get flu shots at ParkwayHealth Jin Qiao Medical Center beginning on September 26th. ParkwayHealth Gleneagle Medical and Surgical Center, as well as ParkwayHealth Specialty and Inpatient Center will start to provide the seasonal flu shot service very soon. The cost of each vaccine is 200RMB. Walk-ins are welcome.

Mike Finstad is the Editor for ShanghaiExpat. He hasn’t had his flu shot yet, because he likes to live life on the edge. He’ll probably stop fanaticizing and get the shot sometime next week. If you have any comments or questions about this article, you can send an email to: editor@shanghaiexpat.com.