What You Should Know About the Flu

SCHEDULE YOUR FLU SHOT TODAY

Flu season is approaching, and one of the best ways to prevent getting the flu is to have a flu shot every year. Last year's flu shot will not protect you from this season's flu.

Call your doctor to discuss your flu shot. It's also important to check with your doctor to make sure you have had a pneumonia shot. Unlike the flu shot given every year, the pneumonia shot, for most people, is given only once.

H1N1 SWINE FLU

The common flu (seasonal flu) is different from the H1N1 flu (swine flu). The shot for seasonal flu is different than the shot for H1N1 flu. Call your doctor to see if you will also need the H1N1 shot this year.

WHO SHOULD GET VACCINATED

Annual vaccination against influenza is recommended for any adult who wants to reduce the risk of becoming ill with influenza or of transmitting it to others.

If you have any questions about whether or not you should get a flu shot, please discuss with your doctor.

INFLUENZA HIGH-RISK GROUPS

Flu shots are the primary method for preventing the flu and its severe complications. An annual flu shot is recommended for the following groups:

• Persons aged ≥ 50 years
• Persons who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, cognitive, neurologic/neuromuscular, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)
• Persons who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus)
• Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• Household contacts and caregivers of children aged < 5 years and adults aged ≥ 50 years, with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children aged < 6 months
• Household contacts and caregivers of persons with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe complications from influenza

HOW YOU GET THE FLU

The flu virus is primarily spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs. People can be infectious and spread the flu virus up to 1 day prior to noticing symptoms and up to 5 days after symptoms develop. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Flu symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Stomach pains (nausea)
• Extreme tiredness
• Dry cough

In some cases the flu virus can be spread by touching things infected with the flu virus and then touching your nose, eyes or mouth.

COMPLICATIONS OF THE FLU

Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes.

PREVENTING THE FLU

The best way to decrease your chances of getting the flu is to have an annual flu shot. Other healthy habits that can limit the spread of germs include:

• Washing your hands with soap and warm water often or use disposable hand wipes or gel
• Drinking plenty of fluids and getting plenty of rest
• Covering your nose or mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and then throwing the tissue away
• Avoiding people who are sick and stay home when you are sick

FAQs ABOUT INFLUENZA VACCINES

How effective is the flu vaccine?
How well the flu vaccine works depends on how well the match is between the influenza (flu) vaccine and the types of flu viruses that are circulating that year. Scientists try to predict what strains (types) of flu viruses are most likely to spread and cause illness each year to put into the vaccine. In years when the vaccine strains and the virus strains are well matched, the vaccine can reduce the chances of getting the flu by 70-90% in healthy adults. The vaccine may be somewhat less effective in elderly persons and very young children, but vaccination can still prevent serious complications from the flu.

Is the flu vaccine effective against all types of flu and cold viruses?
The flu vaccine is your best protection against flu viruses. However, the vaccine does not provide protection against non-flu viruses that can cause colds and other respiratory illnesses.

It can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between a cold and the flu based on symptoms alone.

The flu vaccine won't protect you from cold or flu viruses that are already in your body when you get a flu vaccine. The flu vaccine takes about two weeks to provide protection from the flu, and it's your best protection to prevent the most common types of flu this season.

Can a flu shot give you the flu?
Inactivated influenza vaccine contains noninfectious killed viruses and cannot cause the flu.

FAQs ABOUT INFLUENZA AND PNEUMONIA

Who gets the flu and pneumonia?
Flu: Anyone can get the flu, but it is most serious in the elderly; people with chronic illnesses such as cancer, emphysema and diabetes; those with weakened immune systems; and children.
Pneumonia: You are more likely to develop pneumonia if you smoke; have a chronic medical condition such as heart or lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or asthma; are younger than one or older than 65; or have an impaired immune system.

When do flu and pneumonia occur?
Flu: The flu occurs most often in the winter months. Illnesses resembling the flu may occur in summer months, but they are usually due to other viruses.
Pneumonia: Pneumonia can strike anyone at any time of the year.

How are they spread?
Flu: Flu is highly contagious and is easily transmitted through contact with droplets spread from the nose and throat of an infected person during coughing and sneezing. The contagious period varies, but probably begins the day before symptoms appear and extends for a week.
Pneumonia: It's unusual to contract pneumonia from someone else. You will usually develop pneumonia because your immunity is weakened, not because of exposure to germs. Pneumonia generally starts from the flu, a cold virus or other respiratory tract infections.

When should I get shots?
Flu: You should get a flu shot every year between September and December. However, because flu season extends through March, it's not too late to get your annual flu shot after December.
Pneumonia: A one-time pneumonia shot is recommended for everyone over age 65 and for people younger than 65 with a chronic condition, such as heart or lung disease, diabetes or sickle cell disease. In some cases, a second pneumonia shot is necessary.

How soon do symptoms appear?
Flu: The incubation period for flu is one to five days.
Pneumonia: After you've been infected with a pneumonia-causing organism, it takes as little as 1 to 3 days or as long as 7 to 10 days for symptoms to appear.

How are they diagnosed?
Flu: Usually, a doctor will diagnose a case of the flu based on typical symptoms of fever, chills, headache, cough and body aches. Specific lab tests to confirm the flu are costly and time-consuming and are usually limited to outbreak or disease surveillance.
Pneumonia: You must see your doctor to guarantee appropriate treatment and successful recovery. Your doctor will first listen to your chest for crackling noises and tap your chest to check for dull thuds indicating fluid-filled lungs. If necessary, an X-ray can help confirm if you have pneumonia.

What is the right treatment?
Flu: Rest and plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration are usually adequate. Consult your physician for over-the-counter medications that may help with symptom relief. Antibiotics are not an appropriate treatment for the flu. A virus, not bacteria, causes the flu and antibiotics are used for treating bacterial infections.
Pneumonia: Antibiotics (usually 5 to 14 days, maybe longer if you have an impaired immune system), rest and plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Consult your physician for over-the-counter medications that may help with fever. Be sure to contact your physician if you do not feel better or if you develop a worsening cough, shortness of breath or feel weak or faint when you stand up.

What's best for prevention?
Flu: An annual flu shot, usually given each fall between September and December, is the best defense against getting the flu and complications related to the flu. It is also important to avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home when you're sick, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, and wash your hands often with soap and warm water or use alcohol-based wipes or gel sanitizer.
Pneumonia: A one-time pneumonia shot is recommended for everyone over age 65 and for people younger than 65 with a chronic condition, such as heart or lung disease, diabetes or sickle cell disease. In some cases, a second pneumonia shot is necessary. Getting an annual flu shot can also help prevent pneumonia because the flu and other respiratory tract infections can lead to pneumonia.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For more information on the 2009-2010 flu season, refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/flu.

Sources:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits/index.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr56e629a1.htm?s_cid=rr56e629a1_e
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr57e717a1.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm