Prevention is the best treatment for any disease. And for a person who does not want to spend the winter months in bed with a thermometer under his arm, there will be relevant information on where to get the flu shot, who can be vaccinated, and what types of vaccinations are.
What is flu?
Influenza is a viral disease accompanied by fever and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. There are three types of flu: A, B and C. The first two are considered the most dangerous. They constantly mutate, so people cannot develop permanent immunity to them.
And finally, influenza A and B are very contagious, transmitted by airborne droplets, so just staying near the flu carrier is enough to face unpleasant symptoms of the disease after a while.
And therefore, vaccination is one of the most valuable achievements of modern medicine. Healthcare annually creates ways for the population to quickly and easily carry out vaccination in order to protect themselves from the dangerous complications of the virus. So, there are mobile stations that transport medical workers around the city so that anyone who cares about their health can be vaccinated without having to set aside a separate day for going to the clinic. But before you know where to get the flu vaccine near the metro, there is a reason to find out what vaccines are and what types of vaccines are.
Types of vaccines
Vaccination is a way to “teach” the immune system to respond to a particular antigen. But the judgment that a real virus is introduced during vaccination is incorrect. Modern vaccination is as safe as possible, and its composition depends on the type.
- Live - weakened local vaccines that are sprayed or buried in the nose. The prevention method is used for both children and adults.
- Inactivated whole virus vaccines are a purified influenza virus whose activity is stopped by formalin or ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, such a virus is not dangerous for the body, but the immune system can recognize the antigen in the serum and develop antibodies against it.
- Split vaccines ("Influenza" or "Influenza plus") - vaccines consisting of a cleaned surface of the virus molecule (subunit), sometimes with the addition of protein.
- Virosomal - the latest vaccines, the manufacturing technology of which does not require conservation. Composition: inactive antigens from the surface of the virus.
Which vaccine to choose?
Your doctor should decide how and where to get the flu shot. The physician must make sure that the patient feels well at the time of the vaccine, he should not have an exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Gathering a history before vaccination is an important aspect that cannot be ignored. For example, people with HIV infection, immunocompromised as a result of hormone therapy, undergoing chemotherapy, or with an absent spleen can be vaccinated exclusively with inactivated serums.
Free vaccination
Before looking for where to get a free flu shot, you should find out who is in the category of citizens who can get vaccination at no cost in any state medical institution every year:
- preschoolers;
- students;
- students of universities and colleges;
- medical workers;
- educational workers;
- employees of transport companies, utilities, etc .;
- people over 60 years old.
Everyone belonging to any of these categories can come to the clinic at the place of residence and get a referral for vaccination.
Who should not get the flu shot?
Contraindications for the formulation of a vaccine against influenza are:
- allergy;
- autoimmune diseases;
- oncological tumors;
- serious diseases of the nervous system;
- adrenal disease;
- any pathology in the acute stage.
Often, people with chronic diseases of any body systems claim that the vaccine can be dangerous for them. But scientific studies have not revealed any differences in response to serum against influenza for healthy people and patients with chronic diseases. On the contrary, doctors strongly recommend resorting to annual vaccination for people with chronic diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular, urinary, endocrine system of the body.
The consequences of vaccination
After vaccination, a person may feel the following symptoms: malaise, a slight increase in body temperature (up to 37.5 degrees), pain in the injection area. Alarming symptoms are: cough, diarrhea and runny nose. If these signs are detected within 24-48 hours after vaccination, you should consult a doctor.
Where do vaccinations go?
Knowing what influenza vaccination is, what serums are for vaccination and who is shown this type of prophylaxis, it remains to find out the main thing: where can I get a flu shot?
The easiest way to get vaccinated is to go to the clinic at the place of residence to the local GP and get a referral for vaccination from him. Difficulties arise only when a busy schedule does not allow you to visit the clinic.
Through the efforts of employees of the health care committees in Russia, many people get the opportunity not to puzzle over where to get the flu shot, but get vaccinated directly at their workplace. For children and students there is also the opportunity to get through vaccination at the medical center of their educational institution.
Metro Vaccinations
It is extremely difficult for a working person to set aside time to visit a treatment room and deliver a vaccine. For such people, it is possible to get the vaccine in any public place, for example, in a shopping center or near the metro. Mobile vaccination points have been around for years. Anyone can take the opportunity to deliver a vaccine by providing medical personnel with just two documents: a passport and a policy.
Those who are interested in where to get the flu shot in St. Petersburg can call the Health Committee and find out where and when to find mobile first-aid posts on the city streets. Tentatively they will appear until November 1 near the largest metro stations in St. Petersburg. But it is likely that the action will last longer: in 2016, it lasted until mid-December.
Vaccination in Moscow
Residents of the capital, thinking about where to get the flu shot in Moscow, can do it according to the schedule near the metro stations: Rechnoy Vokzal, Tsaritsyno, Domodedovo, Petrovsko-Razumovskaya, Tula, Molodezhnaya , Baumanskaya, VDNKh, Teply Stan, Rokossovsky Boulevard, Vladykino, Tushinskaya, Perovo, Paveletskaya, Belorusskaya, Prague, Savelovskaya, Altufevo, Semenovskaya, Kievskaya, Novokosino, Novogireevo, Gagarin Square, Lyublino, Planernaya, Yasenevo.
Portable medical stations will wait for patients for vaccination until October 29, every day from 8 to 20 hours on weekdays, until 18 hours on Saturday and until 16 hours on Sunday. You must have a passport with you, a declaration of desire to receive a vaccine, as well as a medical policy.
Vaccination for children
Anyone over the age of 18 can be vaccinated at the mobile vaccination points. Therefore, the answer to the question of where to get the child a flu shot will be two options:
- vaccination in a preschool or school institution;
- vaccinations in a children's clinic.
What does a parent need to do to prepare their child for the procedure? First of all, to make sure that he feels well, is not cold, does not show any complaints. After this, you need to visit a pediatrician who will give directions for vaccination. In addition, you can get a vaccine on a reimbursable basis in any medical center. But you need to take a special certificate at the medical center, which can be presented at the school with collective vaccination.
Parents of a small child need to psychologically prepare him for an injection, reduce anxiety and distract him from the discomfort after an injection. Stress is the reason for the deterioration of health after vaccination, so it is important to help the baby transfer the procedure as easily as possible.
Thus, the answer to the question of where to get the flu shot depends on the place of residence, degree of employment and age of the person. However, the need for vaccination is proven. Influenza is a dangerous disease that is fraught with many complications that can lead to partial or complete loss of health. Therefore, the vaccine can be called a major, valuable contribution to your health, performance and well-being.