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Influenza

Frequently asked questions

What is influenza (flu)?
When does influenza occur?
Who gets influenza?
What are the symptoms of influenza?
How serious is influenza?
How is influenza spread?
How can you prevent influenza?
What are good health habits?
What kinds of influenza vaccine are available?
Can either kind of vaccine give you influenza?
How effective are the vaccines?
Once you get sick with influenza, is there any treatment?
Does past infection with influenza make a person immune?
Who should get influenza vaccine this year?
Where can I get an influenza vaccination?

Where can I get more information about influenza?

What is influenza (flu)?
Influenza, commonly called "the flu," is a lung (respiratory) infection caused by the influenza virus. Although someone with a mild case of influenza may have symptoms similar to a cold, most cases of flu are more serious than the common cold. The flu virus changes slightly each year, so each year a new batch of vaccine is made.

When does influenza occur?
Influenza occurs in the United States most often in the winter. Flu-like symptoms in summer months are usually due to other viruses.

Who gets influenza?
Anyone who has not been vaccinated with the current year's flu vaccine can get influenza. Each year in the United States, about 5-20 percent of the population gets influenza.

What are the symptoms of influenza?
Influenza symptoms include fever, headache, dry cough, muscle aches, tiredness and weakness, with congestion in the nose, throat, and lungs. Children may have nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but these symptoms are uncommon in adults. The symptoms usually last about three to five days, but in more serious infections, complications can occur and the illness may last longer.

How serious is influenza?
For most healthy children and adults, influenza will be serious enough to require bed rest, but most will recover within a week. Flu is most serious for very young children, the elderly, and people with certain medical conditions such as cancer, chronic lung or kidney disease, insulin-dependent diabetes, or a weakened immune system. Each year in the United States, more than 200,000 people need to be hospitalized because of influenza complications, and about 36,000 people die from influenza. Most deaths occur in people 65 years of age and older.

How is influenza spread?
Influenza spreads easily by coughing or sneezing. This releases droplets from the nose and throat that contain the flu virus. The influenza virus can also be spread when someone touches something that has the virus on it, and then touches her or his nose, eyes, or mouth. The flu can be spread from an infected person from the day before illness until about seven days after they first have symptoms, so infected people are contagious before they even know they are sick.

How can you prevent influenza?
The best way to avoid influenza is to get vaccinated each year during the flu season. Vaccine is especially important for people who are most at risk for serious flu infections. Good health habits also go a long way toward preventing the spread of many diseases, including influenza.

What are good health habits?
Good health habits include:

For more information, download Preventing the spread of germs, available in seven languages.

What kinds of influenza vaccine are available?
There are two kinds of influenza vaccine: the flu shot or Trivalent Inactivated Vaccine (TIV) is an inactivated vaccine (contains killed flu virus) that is given in a needle. This vaccine is approved for people 6 months of age and older.

An influenza vaccine made with live, weakened virus that is sprayed into the nose is also available for healthy people 2 to 49 years of age. Do not use the nasal spray flu vaccine or Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) if you are pregnant, or have close contact with people with weakened immune systems.

Can either kind of vaccine give you influenza?
No. The flu shot is made from killed influenza virus and can't give you flu; the nasal spray vaccine is made from weakened virus which is not strong enough to infect people.

How effective are the vaccines?
In general, influenza vaccines are very safe and effective in preventing serious flu infections with. In healthy people, the vaccine very effectively prevents flu infections. However, no vaccine is 100 percent effective. It's possible to get the flu even if you've been vaccinated, although the illness is likely to be less severe.

In addition, because new influenza viruses appear each year, the effectiveness of the vaccine can vary from year to year. Studies show that in years when new influenza strains come out, people at-risk for getting serious flu who are vaccinated tend to have milder illness and are less likely to be hospitalized.

Once you get sick with influenza, is there any treatment?
Bed rest and liquids are usually enough to treat influenza. Acetaminophen (or other products that don’t contain aspirin) can lessen fever and body aches. Aspirinand other aspirin-containing productsshould not be given to children with influenza. There are some prescription drugs that can reduce the severity of influenza in people at risk for serious infection, if these drugs are taken early in the course of the illness. However, these drugs are not a substitute for influenza vaccines (shot or nasal spray), which are available to people at-risk through their health care provider or local health department.

Does past infection with influenza make a person immune?
No. Because viruses that cause influenza change frequently, people who have had influenza or a flu shot in previous years may become infected with a new strain.

Who should get influenza vaccine this year?
Influenza vaccine is available to anyone who wants one. The Department of Health (DOH) highly recommends that children over age 6 months be vaccinated to prevent the spread of flu. DOH urges those most at risk of complications from getting influenza to get vaccinated as well. Those most at risk include:

Where can I get an influenza vaccination?
Call your health care provider or local health department to find out about getting an influenza vaccination. Also, the American Lung Association has an online Flu Shot Locator (http://www.findaflushot.com/lungusa/). Although the locator may show that no vaccine is available near your home, you should check it periodically, because the supply situation may change.

Where can I get more information about influenza?
For more information call the:

You can also visit these Web sites:



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Last Update : 05/21/2009 06:38 PM
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