Flu Shot Season

September 21, 2007

Find out if you—and your family—should get it this year

It’s Fall! Time for football, apple-picking, and—for millions of Americans—a flu shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 36,000 people in the US die each year from "the flu"—also called "influenza" by doctors—which is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. So should you get a flu shot—the vaccine intended to prevent the infection—before the leaves change this season?

First, it helps to understand a bit more about influenza. The symptoms of influenza vary but typically include a combination of common cold-like symptoms (dry cough, sore throat, runny nose) and the sudden onset of fever, headache, extreme fatigue, and muscle aches. People with influenza are contagious even before they start to feel sick and can spread the infection just by coughing or sneezing near others.

For most patients, influenza is a self-limited illness—meaning the symptoms will go away in less than a week’s time. But for some, the infection can have serious consequences, such as pneumonia. These are the people who really need the influenza vaccine. If you fall into one of the following categories, then YOU should get a flu shot this season:

• adults 50 years of age or older
• children aged 6 months until their 5^th birthday
• pregnant women
• people who live in nursing homes or other long term care facilities
• people of any age with chronic medical conditions (including heart or lung conditions, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, or HIV infection)
• people who live with or work with anyone who meets the above criteria OR with children less than 6 months old (who are too young to be vaccinated)

(source: CDC)

• Some people should NOT receive the influenza vaccine without first talking with a physician. They are:
• people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs
• people who have had a severe reaction to the influenza vaccine in the past
• people who developed Guillain-Barre syndrome (a neurologic condition) within 6 weeks of receiving the flu vaccine previously
• children less than 6 months old
• people with a moderate to severe illness with fever, who should wait until their symptoms improve before getting the influenza vaccine

(source: CDC)

The influenza vaccine comes in two forms: injection and nasal-spray. The nasal-spray vaccine is only for individuals aged 2-49 years who are not pregnant and who are otherwise healthy.

You might ask, "If I had a flu shot last year, do I need it again this year?" The answer is, Yes! The vaccine is required yearly because the viruses that cause influenza can change slightly and because your body’s ability to fight the infection declines over the course of the year.

The influenza vaccine is the best way to prevent influenza this season if you or your family members are in one of the categories we discussed. And, for everyone, don’t forget a year-round infection-fighting strategy: wash your hands!

You can find out more information about influenza and the influenza vaccine at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

Related Links:

About Dr. John Whyte

Colds and Flu Center

Ultimate Flu Guide

Comments

[Doreen Bateman]

I need to ask a question about a health issue. Where can I possibly do this?