Symptoms of Flu
Symptoms of flu include:
- fever (usually high)
- headache
- extreme tiredness
- dry cough
- sore throat
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- runny or stuffy nose
- muscle aches
- Stomach symptoms, such as
nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, also can occur but are more
common in children than adults
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Complications of Flu
Complications of flu can include
bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical
conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.
Children may get sinus problems and ear infections.
How Flu Spreads
Flu viruses spread in respiratory
droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. They usually spread from
person to person, though sometimes people become infected by touching
something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or
nose. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day
before symptoms develop and up to 5 days
after becoming sick. That means that you can pass on
the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while
you are sick.
Preventing the Flu: Get Vaccinated
The single best way to prevent the
flu is to get a flu vaccination each fall. There are two types of
vaccines:
- The "flu shot" – an inactivated
vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle.
The flu shot is approved for use in people older
than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic
medical conditions.
- The nasal-spray flu vaccine – a
vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the
flu (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”).
LAIV is approved for use in healthy people 5 years to 49 years of
age who are not pregnant.
About two weeks after vaccination,
antibodies develop that protect against influenza virus infection. Flu
vaccines will not protect against influenza-like illnesses caused by
other viruses.
When to Get Vaccinated
for flu
October or November is the best time
to get vaccinated, but getting vaccinated in December or even later
can still be beneficial. Flu season can begin as early as October and
last as late as May.
Who Should Get Vaccinated
for flu?
In general, anyone who wants to
reduce their chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However,
certain people should get vaccinated each year. They are either people
who are at high risk of having serious flu complications or people who
live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications.
People who should get vaccinated each year are:
People who should get vaccinated each
year are:
1.) People at high risk for
complications from the flu:
- People 65 years and older;
- People who live in nursing homes
and other long-term care facilities that house those with long-term
illnesses;
- Adults and children 6 months and
older with chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma;
- Adults and children 6 months and
older who needed regular medical care or were in a hospital during
the previous year because of a metabolic disease (like diabetes),
chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune
system problems caused by medicines or by infection with human
immunodeficiency virus [HIV/AIDS]);
- Children 6 months to 18 years of
age who are on long-term aspirin therapy. (Children given aspirin
while they have influenza are at risk of Reye syndrome.);
- Women who will be pregnant during
the influenza season;
- All children 6 to 23 months of
age;
- People with any condition that can
compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory
secretions (that is, a condition that makes it hard to breathe or
swallow, such as brain injury or disease, spinal cord injuries,
seizure disorders, or other nerve or muscle disorders.)
2.) People 50 to 64 years of
age. Because nearly one-third of people 50 to 64 years of age
in the United States have one or more medical conditions that place
them at increased risk for serious flu complications, vaccination is
recommended for all persons aged 50 to 64.
3.) People who can transmit
flu to others at high risk for complications. Any person in
close contact with someone in a high-risk group (see above) should get
vaccinated. This includes all health-care workers, household contacts
and out-of-home caregivers of children 6 to 23 months of age, and
close contacts of people 65 years and older.
Is CDC recommending that flu shots go to
“priority groups”, as was recommended last season?
To ensure that those who are at
highest risk of complications from influenza have access to vaccine
this season, CDC recommends that people in certain priority groups
receive inactivated influenza vaccine (i.e., the “flu shot”) until
October 24, 2005:
- people aged 65 years and older,
with and without chronic health conditions
- residents of long-term care
facilities
- people aged 2–64 years with
chronic health conditions
- children aged 6–23 months
- pregnant women
- health-care personnel who provide
direct patient care
- household contacts and out-of-home
caregivers of children less than 6 months of age
Beginning October 24, 2005,
all persons can get a flu shot.
Use of the Nasal Spray Flu
Vaccine
It should be noted that vaccination with the nasal-spray flu
vaccine is always an option for healthy persons aged 5-49 years who
are not pregnant. This vaccine is not subject to prioritization and
can be given to healthy 5-49 year olds at any time.
Who Should Not Be Vaccinated
Some people should not be vaccinated
without first consulting a physician. They include:
- People who have a severe allergy
to chicken eggs.
- People who have had a severe
reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past.
- People who developed
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza
vaccine previously.
- Children less than 6 months of age
(influenza vaccine is not approved for use in this age group).
- 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.
See Also...