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Swine Flu

 

AARP urges anyone with flu-like symptoms—including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea—to contact their health professional to find out if they should be tested or treated for seasonal influenza or swine flu.

 

You can help prevent the spread of swine flu and other illnesses by:

• Washing your hands regularly with soap and water;
• Covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze;
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
• Avoiding contact with sick people; and
• Staying home from school or work if you feel sick.

 

While we encourage all older Americans to get an annual vaccine for seasonal flu, the swine flu strain is not prevented by the seasonal flu vaccine.

 

The Centers for Disease Control have important information about swine flu available at www.cdc.gov/swineflu

 

General Information about Seasonal Influenza: 

 

We encourage people to take personal responsibility for their health with preventive measures—like flu shots—to guard against illness and disease. Keeping people healthy is more efficient and economical than caring for people after they get sick.

 

People 50+ are more vulnerable to the flu and its complications, so anyone 50 or older should get a flu shot. You can find a flu shot clinic at www.aarp.org/flu.

 

A growing number of Americans are caregivers. This sandwich generation needs to get immunized to prevent serious disease for themselves and also for the people they care for—grandchildren and older parents.

 

In a 2007 AARP survey, we learned nearly half of 50+ Americans skipped their flu shot. Many mistakenly believed the vaccine could give them the flu.

 

This is also a good time to ask your doctor about a vaccine for pneumococcal disease, which causes 4,800 deaths annually. Everyone 65+ should consider a pneumococcal vaccine.