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why the flu hits some people harder than others
“influenza hits differently across life stages. so, for healthy adults, it could be a rough week, but for kids, seniors, pregnant people, people with chronic conditions, it could mean er visits"
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older adults who are 65 and older can be more susceptible to pneumonia or a heart attack as a result of the flu virus.
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the flu, or influenza, is considered a common virus that most people are likely to contract at some point over the respiratory illness season from late fall through winter. and if you get it, it’s not a big deal to spend a few days in bed feeling rough—but that’s not entirely true.
for certain people, flu can be serious, putting added stress on your body that can land you in the hospital with complications like pneumonia or stroke, even if you’re healthy. so, for everyone, the flu is a virus to avoid as best as possible.
flu impact differs across your lifespan
“influenza hits differently across life stages. so, for healthy adults, it could be a rough week, but for kids, seniors, pregnant people, people with chronic conditions, it could mean er visits. it could mean hospital stays, complications, all these things that we could actually prevent with vaccination,” says dr. latif murji, family and emergency physician at scarborough health network (shn) in ontario. he notes that getting the flu vaccine lowers the risk of getting infected by at least half.
“if it feels like you got hit by a truck, why not lower your chances of that?”
he emphasizes that vaccination can be lifesaving because flu is contagious and easy to transmit to anyone who might be healthy or at higher risk of complications. getting vaccinated protects you and so many others.
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murji is also the physician lead for shn’s vaxfacts+ clinic in partnership with scarborough centre for health communities, which is a free service for people to speak to a doctor by phone for preventative health counselling for infectious diseases, health risk factors, vaccines and community resources.
these days, he’s hearing concerns over respiratory illnesses like influenza. every year, there are an estimated five to 10 per cent of adults and as many as 20 to 30 per cent of children in canada who contract the flu, usually in the late fall and winter. this is the calendar period when we’re indoors for much of the time and in closer contact with others.
it’s important to know the risks: what is the impact of the flu on certain populations and the severity across different age groups?
for anyone with underlying health problems such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, the risk that comes with flu is that much greater.
“with something like the flu, which really puts strain on your organs and throws off the system balance, people with chronic conditions are at very high risk because they have a lower physiologic reserve. so then there’s just a higher chance of complications,” he explains.
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the virus spreads easily and can infect your nose, throat and lungs, so people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd), where damage to the lungs causes shortness of breath, coughing and excess phlegm, are at more severe risk of pneumonia when they get the flu, murji notes.
people living with diabetes, which is also extremely common, experience worse glycemic control with flu to contend with as well, “so their blood glucose can go through the roof, which causes all kinds of problems, infections, you name it,” he says of the heightened risk of pneumonia, bronchitis and sinus and ear infections. when glycemic or blood sugar control for people with diabetes is not managed, people can have life-threatening low or high blood sugar episodes.
for people with kidney disease or those who have had transplants, these are very sensitive medical conditions, and you don’t want to be hit with the flu as well.
he also flags people who are pregnant and up to two weeks postpartum. flu can affect them more severely because the mom is providing for two. there’s a higher oxygen demand that’s complicated by the position of the womb because it compresses the lungs slightly.
“you want to stay healthy in pregnancy because you have less wiggle room or reserve that puts you at higher risk of hospitalization and complications for the baby, which we don’t want.”
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protect yourself from flu at any age
in terms of age groups, children, especially those under age two, have immune systems that are very immature. their anatomy and airways are small, so there is less lung capacity. “dehydration is common, you can get ear infections. if you have a fever, you can end up having a seizure,” he says of flu complications for infants.
older adults who are 65 and older can be more susceptible to pneumonia or a heart attack.
the flu puts a strain on your heart and can actually double the risk of a heart attack in the week following a flu diagnosis, murji cautions. in fact, 70 per cent of the hospitalizations and 90 per cent of the deaths that occur in this group are typically associated with the flu.
“this is like flashing lights and sirens, definitely we want 100 per cent uptake of vaccine amongst this group because it’s in everyone’s interest.”
as for healthy adults, while you might just tough it out, murji stresses the greater risk of transmitting the virus to others. “prevention on your end also lowers transmission. that’s an important point. if everyone were to get vaccinated, then the number of infections would go down.”
flu vaccine is ‘safe and effective’
his final messaging is about vaccination for flu and discussing any concerns with a healthcare provider to feel comfortable and make an informed choice. at the virtual clinic, he fields calls from people worried about vaccine safety with regard to their allergies, different medications and medical conditions.
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“it’s generally better to just run it by an expert and figure it out together. my advice is almost always going to be, yes, proceed with the vaccination. it’s safe and effective.”
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