Influenza Vaccination Week

Influenza Vaccination Week

The flu (influenza) is a viral infection of the respiratory system. It is different and more serious than the common cold. Both the common cold and the flu infect the nose, throat, ear’s and sometimes the lungs. The difference are the symptoms are more common in people with the flu and the intensity of those symptoms primarily with a fever above 101 degrees and body aches. The flu can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.  The flu seems to be seasonal but in fact it is active year round. The are times during the year that the flu really spikes up and so we deem this period as the “Flu Season”. 

Flu season is typically between the months of December and February but can continue past late winter into the spring season. Each year around this time the word (like this article) starts circulating about the importance of getting a flu shot. The CDC recommends that you get a flu vaccine each year to help minimize the flu’s growth.  The best time to get the flu vaccine is in October since it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to develop in your body. However, getting the flu vaccine during the actual season is still better than not getting it at all.

Flu symptoms may include: fever, cough, body aches, chills, sore throat, headaches, fatigue. Some people may also experience vomiting and diarrhea. 

A flu shot is a vaccine intended to increase your immune systems ability to ward off the virus and/or minimize its effects on you. The flu shot effectiveness is not guaranteed because of the many variations in the strands of the virus, you may have already been infected before the shot, or the strand that you’ve come in contact with may be different from what the vaccine is made of. Each year scientist from 100 cities throughout the world collect data on the virus. They analyze which strands appear to be the dominant virus’s for that year and focus the vaccine on targeting those virus’s.  

It is important to understand that the flu is communicable. Persons with the flu can transfer the virus by coughing, sneezing or talking. The flu travels through droplets in the air and is received by you through inhalation, ingestion, and absorption. Anyone is susceptible to getting the flu but the most vulnerable to catching the flu and developing serious complications are people with chronic medical conditions, people  65 and older, pregnant women and children under five years old. 

During flu season the flu vaccine is a vital first defense. Also, extra effort to clean commonly shared and used items such as door handles, telephones, keyboards and such should occur. Avoiding known sick people and large crowds during flu season, cover your orifices when coughing and sneezing with the crease of your arm or with a disposable object such as a napkin or tissue, and implement frequent hand washing (as we discussed last week).

If you think you have the flu you have to get it confirmed through a medical professional. There are antiviral drugs that can treat the flu, and they work best within 48 hours of getting sick.   

For further reading here are some links to the 

Disclaimer: This article is intended as a friendly reminder with recommendations. It is not medical advice, direction or prescription of any sort. Please refer to professional services for any health-related questions, concerns and relief.