Anyone who has had flu can tell you that it is a dreadful and debilitating illness. It can also lead to a variety of other health concerns, especially for those who have underlying health conditions or suppressed immune systems. So why, then, do so many people who are eligible not accept their yearly flu vaccination?
In some countries, such as the UK, flu vaccinations are offered only to those whose wellness is at greatest risk, should they catch flu. This includes groups such as pregnant women, patients with asthma and the elderly. In other countries, the flu vaccination programme is more widespread and aims to immunise as many people as possible against the horrible disease.
Although most people know that vaccination is a very important way of reducing their chances of catching (and then spreading) the flu, new statistics show that less than half of the US population are immunised. This was illustrated recently when the four main presenters on the popular Today programme were questioned, and it was found that only one of them had been vaccinated.
A new online game has allowed researchers at Wake Forest University to understand a little more about why people do or do not vaccinate. The game simulates an infection spreading between players. They hope that this research will allow those who make policies to understand the reasons behind lack of vaccination, and enable them to calculate the scale of a potential epidemic.
The fun game allows players to purchase an immunisation against a disease, at a cost. As they go through the game, their chances of catching the disease are raised. Variables could be changed, such as seeing whether players were more likely to immunise in the game at a lower cost. The game assessed whether players were willing to take risks with their wellbeing, and why, in a way that could never be ethically conducted in real life.
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