MILWAUKEE, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. adults and children with asthma and other chronic health conditions should receive a flu vaccination, according to a medical organization.
"Symptoms of influenza can be especially severe for patients with respiratory diseases, such as asthma," said Dr. Richard A. Nicklas, chairman of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. "In severe cases, influenza can cause pneumonia, may require hospitalization and sometimes can be fatal."
Research has found that the flu vaccine decreases the risk of asthma exacerbations in patients by as much as 22 percent to 41 percent. In addition, it can also protect against acute asthma exacerbations in children.
Vaccinating all children with asthma could prevent up to 78 percent of asthma hospitalizations and emergency-room visits during influenza seasons.
The flu season usually ranges from November through March and peaks in December, January and February. It takes approximately two weeks to develop immunity from the vaccine, so it is important to get vaccinated each fall in October or November, before the flu season begins, according to Nicklas.
