Protect Yourself From The Flu
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-09-12 12:40:00-04:00
What does the fall season mean to you? Back to school, cool temps, changing leaves, the flu? If you protect yourself with a flu shot, you may be able to avoid getting sick with the flu and instead enjoy all that the fall season offers.
In the U.S., flu season usually runs from October through May. If you are 50 or older, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends you get a flu shot every year.
Are You at Increased Risk?
Even though the flu is a common illness, it can be dangerous. According to the CDC, 226,000 people end up in the hospital every year because of the flu and about 36,000 of them die. That is why getting a flu shot is so important. This is especially true for people who are at risk for complications from the flu. You're at increased risk if you:
- are age 50 or older
- live or work in a nursing home or facilities where people are chronically ill
- have a chronic health problem like diabetes, kidney lungheart disease, anemia, blood disorders, or asthma
- have an illness like HIV/AIDS or get medical treatment, like chemotherapy, that weakens your immunity and keeps you from fighting infections
- are a healthcare worker
- take care of or live with someone in a high-risk group listed above
Those at risk of getting very sick from the flu should get a shot as early as possible. October or November is best but you can still get a shot in December or later.
Flu Symptoms
The flu is an infection caused by a virus. When you get the flu, you might have a fever, chills, body aches, a dry cough, headaches, and sometimes a sore throat or runny nose. You also might feel extremely tired.
Flu viruses can pass through the air and enter your body through your nose or mouth. You can catch the flu if you're around an infected person who coughs or sneezes. You can also get it by touching the same surface that someone with the flu has touched, like a telephone or doorknob. The germs on that surface can pass from your hand to your nose or mouth.
The risk of getting infected is greater in closed-in areas, and areas where there are a lot of people. You can avoid picking up some of the germs by washing your hands often and keeping them away from your nose and mouth.
Best Prevention
Your best prevention from the flu is to get the flu vaccine every year. A flu shot (or vaccine) can prevent between 70 percent and 90 percent of flu illnesses, according to the CDC. It is also 80 percent effective in preventing death. However, it will not prevent non-flu illnesses that have similar symptoms to the flu.
The flu shot contains dead flu viruses; you can't get the flu by receiving a flu shot. It takes about two weeks for the shot to start protecting you against the flu. Since the shot doesn't guarantee 100 percent protection, there is still a slight chance you could get it. But, if you do catch it, you won't become as sick as you would without the shot.
A flu shot is safe for most people. However, some people, like those who are allergic to eggs, shouldn't get a flu shot since it contains egg protein. Talk to your doctor if you're not sure whether to get the shot. If you should experience any allergic reaction to the shot, such as trouble breathing or swelling of your lips or tongue, call 911 or go immediately to a hospital emergency room.
Where to Get a Flu Shot?
You can get a flu shot at your doctor's office or a local clinic. Sometimes you can get one where you work. Supermarkets and drugstores also offer flu shots in many communities. If there are delays getting the shot in your community, be sure to get one as soon as it becomes available.
To locate a flu shot clinic in your area, please access the Flu Clinic Locator or call the CDC hotline at 1-800-232-2522.
Side Effects and Safety
A flu shot is safe for most people. Side effects from the vaccine are rare. You could experience soreness on the area where you received the shot, a mild fever and/or body aches. The discomfort should go away in a day or two. Very rarely people might have more serious side effects, like an allergic reaction. If you experience any allergic reaction to the shot, such as trouble breathing or swelling of your lips or tongue, call 911 or go immediately to a hospital emergency room.
Alternatives for Those Under 50
Healthy people under age 50 can now choose to take the flu vaccine as a nasal spray mist, rather than a shot in the arm. Unlike the flu shot, which contains the dead virus, the nasal spray contains a weakened live virus. For this reason, people with weakened immune systems or chronic health conditions, women who are pregnant, and people age 50 and older, should receive the flu shot and not the nasal spray.
The flu can be a serious illness. But you can take action to protect yourself. Get a flu shot. Prevention is the best medicine!
AARP Resources
Stay Healthy -- Practice Prevention
Preventive care can help you stay healthy and live longer.
Original Medicare: Doctor, Home Health, And Preventive Care
Medicare will pay for flu shots and other vaccines.
Additional Resources
Find Where to Get Your Flu Shot
Do what you can to prepare for flu season. Find out where you can get a flu shot.
Flu Facts
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention answers questions about the flu.
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
Read this fact sheet and other information on the flu.
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