What is the flu?
Influenza, or more commonly referred to as "the flu," is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract. Although it affects people of all ages, it is more common in children than adults.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), each year in the United States, on average:
- 5 to 20 percent of the population gets the flu;
- more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and;
- about 36,000 people die from the flu.
Signs and Symptoms
The flu can often be confused with the common cold, but symptoms tend
to develop more quickly and are usually more severe than cold symptoms.
Symptoms of the flu may include:
- fever (usually high)
- chills
- headache
- extreme tiredness
- dry cough
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
- muscle aches
- weakness, tiredness
- loss of appetite
- stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, also can occur but are more common in children than adults
Contagiousness
The flu is highly contagious. It is spread by virus-infected droplets
that are coughed or sneezed into the air. Most healthy adults may be
able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up
to five days after becoming sick. That means you may be able to pass
the flu on to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as
while you are sick.
Duration
Fever and other symptoms usually disappear after five days, but a cough
and weakness may continue. All symptoms are usually gone within 10
days. However, it's important to treat the flu seriously because it can
lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening complications,
particularly in older people, infants, and people with certain health
conditions.
The Flu Vaccine
The flu vaccine, usually offered between September and November, can
reduce the average person's chance of catching the flu by up to 80
percent during the flu season, which lasts from November to April. Even
if you are vaccinated, there is no guarantee that you won't get sick
during the season. However, symptoms will usually be fewer and milder.
Given as one injection in the upper arm, and approved by CDC, the flu
shot contains killed flu viruses that won't cause you to get the flu,
but will cause your body to fight off the infection by the live flu
virus. Even if you were vaccinated last year, it won't protect you from
getting the flu this year, because the protection wears off and flu
viruses constantly change.
Anyone who wants to severely decrease their chances of getting the flu
should get vaccinated, but the CDC highly recommends that these groups,
who are at an increased risk of flu-related complications, be given the
flu shot:
- children aged 6 months to 5 years old;
- pregnant women;
- people 50 years of age and older;
- people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, and;
- people who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
People who should not get the flu shot include:
- infants under 6 months old;
- people who are severely allergic to eggs and egg products -
because the ingredients for flu shots are actually grown inside eggs;
- people who have ever had a severe reaction to a flu vaccination;
- people who have Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare medical condition that affects the immune system and nerves, and;
- people who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should wait to get vaccinated until their symptoms lessen.
If you have questions about whether you should get a flu vaccine, consult your health-care provider.
Click HERE to locate a flu clinic near you!
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