Argumentative Essay On Flu Vaccination

As a final solution to the problem, physicians should advocate prevention as the best treatment for UTRIs. While many people consider covering their mouth when they cough and proper handwashing common knowledge, it never hurts to remind patients that doing so will often prevent many communicable infections such as the common cold and flu. Furthermore, patients who fall under the eligibility guidelines established by the CDC should be encouraged to receive the flu immunization (“Vaccination: Who Should Do It”). Unfortunately, many people are afraid of getting the flu vaccine because they have a preconceived, albeit incorrect, notion that getting the flu vaccine will cause the flu. While it is true that most flu immunizations contain less virulent

Nevertheless, getting the flu vaccine on a yearly basis equates to increased immunity against a growing number of influenza virus strains. This means that if a patient does contract the influenza virus, having some level of immunity will diminish the risk of the illness becoming severe and even deadly. Although there is much unwarranted controversy regarding flu immunizations, a simple explanation regarding adaptive immunity, as previously described, and some background information on the flu vaccine should be enough to ease patients’ minds regarding the issue. After all, even if mild symptoms were to occur post-immunization, it is preferable to put up with a runny nose for a day or two than to be infected by a highly virulent influenza virus strain that the body has never encountered before. Finally, whenever antibiotics are given patients should be advised on the importance of completing the antibiotic course and beginning probiotic supplementation immediately after completing the

Patient education is possibly the most important solution to this issue because it is the easiest way to prevent patients from requesting antibiotics in the future. Not only should patients be educated on disease etiology and risk versus rewards of antibiotic ingestion, but they should also be educated on non-compliance of treatment completion and the risk of recurring infections. Furthermore, if patient education alone does not solve the problem, ensuring that antibiotics are truly required by means of confirmatory laboratory testing should help in further reducing the problem. Also, following the AAP’s and the CDC’s guidelines for prescribing antibiotics properly is of utmost importance. After all, physicians are trained to heal and not harm, and thus medical ethics should always be at the forefront of a physician’s practice regardless of how minor the issue may seem. Patient wellbeing should be placed above all else, including finances. Moreover, alternative and complementary medicine for minor ailments such as upper respiratory tract infections should be considered, particularly in a patient who is adamant about wanting a “cure.” The predicted path of antibiotic resistant bacteria is an undeniable cause for concern and should be treated as such. The U.S. healthcare system is broken, but if physicians can help prevent the potential rise