|
It’s the most wonderful time of the year — holidays, sleigh rides, hot chocolate…and the cold and flu season! Here’s how you can protect yourself and others.
Influenza: it’s not just another cold! Influenza (flu) strikes about 15% of the population each year. (That’s 45 million people in the U.S. alone). It makes younger people miserable and older people very ill. In fact, influenza causes over 150,000 hospitalizations and more than 30,000 deaths each year in the U.S. — mostly in people older than 65 — at a cost of over 14 billion dollars annually.
The best way to protect yourself against the flu is to get vaccinated, say the experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means getting a flu shot or the nasal-spray flu vaccine (also called a flu mist), preferably between October and November.
However, the flu vaccine can be administered anytime during the flu season while supplies last. Flu season usually peaks in February -- though it can spike anywhere from October to May. So, getting a flu shot as late as January can help protect you and others from this bug.
If you travel, be aware that flu season in the southern hemisphere runs from April through September. There is always influenza somewhere in the world!
Flu vaccine prevents influenza nine times out of ten, and attenuates it (makes it milder) the rest of the time. It reduces days lost from work by 50%.
Rest assured, getting vaccinated against the flu won't give you influenza. The flu shot is made of a killed virus; the mist is made of a live, but weakened strain. Both vaccines may produce mild symptoms like muscle aches and a runny nose, but these symptoms are brief and far less severe than the actual flu itself.
Pregnant women can be particularly vulnerable to flu complications, which include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration and sinus infections. If you'll be pregnant during flu season, the CDC recommends getting vaccinated with the flu shot. The flu mist is not recommended for pregnant women.
While the experts recommend flu vaccinations for most people, they're not right for everyone.
The flu mist is only recommended for nonpregnant, healthy people, age 5 through 49.
Any kind of flu vaccination — shot or mist — may not be suitable for those with chronic health issues, severe allergies to eggs, compromised health, fever, children less than 6 months old, those who have had an allergic reaction to the flu shot previously, or people who have developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine. If any of these pertain to you, consult with a physician before getting the flu vaccine.
Effective, common sense precautions will reduce your risk of getting — or spreading — not only influenza but most other respiratory illnesses including colds, sore throats, and coughs.
If you are ill, keep some distance between yourself and others.
Carry tissues and use them to cover your mouth and nose whenever you cough or sneeze. Discard the tissues immediately after use.
Wash your hands often and especially when you use tissues, touch your face, or touch other people. Soap and water works fine, but alcohol-based hand rubs are more convenient.
Not sure if you should get vaccinated? Speak with your healthcare provider to determine the best way to protect yourself.
Listen to the Influenza (Flu) Vaccine & Prevention Healthy Minute
|
