COLUMBUS — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the highest month for flu activity are December through March.
That means those who have not received their vaccines should consider doing so.
Annual flu vaccines may not prevent someone from getting the flu, but it will lessen symptoms and reduce hospitalizations.
Annual flu vaccines protect against four different viruses, based on the strains that are expected to be dominant this season. Some flu seasons are worse than others depending upon which viruses are circulating.
There is a hidden benefit to getting annual vaccines, such as the one for the flu.
According to published research of nearly 2 million participants, data shows that people who do not get vaccinated against influenza have a 60 percent higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s or another dementia, compared to people who do get their flu shot.
The study results were published in the “Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.”
“Annual flu vaccinations offer protection against the flu virus, but we are discovering that they also improve long-term health outcomes such as reducing our risk for Alzheimer’s, cardiac arrest and hospitalizations due to diabetes,” said Pam Myers, RN and program director of the Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio and Central Ohio Chapters.
The lead author of the published research, Dr. Avram Bukhbinder, said that the researchers found the protective association between the flu vaccine and the risk of Alzheimer’s was strongest for those who received their first vaccine at a younger age.
For example, the people who received their first documented flu shot at age 60 benefited more than those who received their first flu shot at age 70.
Bukhbinder conducted the research while at UTHealth Houston, in collaboration with lead investigator professor Paul. E. Schulz.
At this time, it isn’t clear why the flu vaccine resulted in such a substantial reduction in the risk for developing Alzheimer’s.
In the study, the authors hypothesize that the vaccine might also train the immune system to respond to beta-amyloid protein plaques — a key part of Alzheimer’s pathology.
Additional research reported during the 2020 Alzheimer’s Association annual international research conference that supported these new findings:
§ At least one flu vaccination was associated with a 17 percent reduction in Alzheimer’s incidence. More frequent flu vaccination was associated with another 13 percent reduction in Alzheimer’s incidence.
§ Vaccination against pneumonia between ages 65 and 75 reduced Alzheimer’s risk by up to 40 percent depending on individual genes.
§ Individuals with dementia have a higher risk of dying (6-fold) after infections than those without dementia (3-fold).
§ People living with dementia have elevated mortality rates for 10 years after an initial infection-related hospitalization.
There are 220,000 Ohioans aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.
That number is expected to hit 250,000 by 2025. A total of 493,000 Ohio caregivers provide 736 million hours of unpaid care each year.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s or other related dementia and to access free support and resources visit alz.org/nwohio or call the Northwest Ohio Chapter at 419-537-1999 or the 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.