Should individuals use influenza vaccine effectiveness studies to inform their decision to get vaccinated?

Should individuals use influenza vaccine effectiveness studies to inform their decision to get vaccinated? Can Commun Dis Rep. 2019 Jun 06;45(6):156-158 Authors: Zhao L, Stirling R, Young K Abstract Studies on the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine can affect an individual's perception of the ability of this vaccine to protect against influenza. However, vaccine effectiveness studies are designed to inform public health decisions rather than for individual decision-making. This overview explains what vaccine effectiveness means and why vaccine effectiveness estimates can vary. Individual variation in the response to seasonal influenza vaccine is based upon risk factors such as age, underlying health conditions, immune status and risk of infection and complications. Therefore, an individual's decision to get vaccinated should be primarily informed by their risk of influenza illness and their risk of transmitting influenza to vulnerable people. PMID: 31285707 [PubMed]
Source: Can Commun Dis Rep - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Tags: Can Commun Dis Rep Source Type: research