There are a lot of people out there who don’t want to get the flu shot. I get it. While some people don’t believe in the vaccine because they don’t believe in vaccinations, there are some out there who most likely would get the shot if it didn’t come attached with a big fear – I’m talking about the needle, of course. I don’t need to convince you, but there are many people out there who would rather be infected with the flu than injected with the flu vaccine. There is, of course, the nasal mist version of the vaccine, but not everyone is able to take that one due to different allergies, etc.
Since the flu is still a big health concern in the world today, most doctors want to do everything they can to encourage people to get the flu vaccine, and they understand that many people are simply afraid of needles. So researchers are doing everything they can to make it easier and more comfortable than ever to get a flu vaccine. What are they wanting to do? They’re wanting to give you a tiny vaccine patch you can take home and apply to your arm in the comfort of your own home. And the best part of all? It’s supposedly painless.
Give Yourself A Flu Vaccine
As you can clearly see in the image above, these “microneedle patches” are just that – micro. In fact, they only measure about 7/10th of a millimeter, and researchers have been hard at work creating them to be able to dissolve into the skin. Theoretically, all a person would have to do is apply the patch to their arm, and it would dissolve fairly quickly into their skin, allowing the vaccine to quickly reach the blood stream and travel everywhere it needs to go.
Apparently, the CDC is becoming fond of this idea, and we could most likely see these vaccine patches becoming a reality within the next 5 years.
I don’t know about you, but I think it sure beats a trip to the doctor’s office or the pharmacy. What do you think?
[Image via vosizneias]
SOURCE: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57619677-76/not-a-flu-shot-fan-heres-a-vaccine-patch-you-give-yourself/