Flu Immunizations

For information about where to get a flu shot this year click here.

ABOUT INFLUENZA
Influenza (flu) is caused by a virus that invades the nose, throat and lungs. It can be easily spread from one person to another through the air when an infected person sneezes, coughs or talks. Flu can also be spread when a person touches a surface that has influenza virus on it (doorknobs, hands, computer key boards, etc.) then touches their nose or mouth.

Flu is very different from a cold. It is much more serious. For some people, infection with flu can lead to complications that range from sinus and ear infections to bronchitis and pneumonia. Flu can make chronic medical conditions worse. Flu is a major cause of illness and death, leading to an average of about 36,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations in the United States yearly.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/flu/ for more information about the flu, its prevention and treatment.

PREVENTION

Immunization

Immunization is the primary way to prevent the flu.

Flu Shots
The flu shot is made from inactivated (killed) virus. The flu shot is made from the three strains of flu virus identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as those most likely to cause flu that season. The flu shot must be repeated every year because new flu viruses circulate each flu season. The flu shot cannot cause infection with influenza.

Most everyone will benefit from a flu shot. People who should get a flu shot yearly are:

Children aged 6–59 months
Pregnant women
People 50 years of age and older
People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
Household contacts and caregivers of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
Healthcare workers

Children aged 6 months to 8 years old who are getting their first flu shot will need to get a booster shot one month after their first shot.

The best time to get flu shots is in October and November, although vaccination in December or later is still recommended. In the U.S., influenza usually occurs from November to March. Peak activity from the flu most often occurs between January and March. It takes about 1-2 weeks to be protected against flu after getting the shot.

FluMist
There is a shot-free option to protect against the flu. FluMist is a vaccine that is sprayed into the nostrils. It can be given to healthy individuals from ages 5-49. FluMist is made from live, attenuated (weakened) virus that helps the body develop antibodies that fight the flu. The strains of virus used in FluMist are the same as those used in the flu shot.

Side effects seen in FluMist studies were generally mild and temporary. Side effects included runny nose (most common), headache, cough, sore throat, tiredness, weakness, irritability and muscle aches. FluMist is not recommended for many of those who are at higher risk for complications from the flu because it is made from live virus. Those individuals should instead be vaccinated with the flu shot made from inactivated (killed) virus.
For more information visit www.flumist.com.

Antiviral Drugs

There are four antiviral drugs that have been approved for the prevention/treatment of flu. The drug used to fight the flu depends on the type of flu virus. If treatment is started early enough, the time that someone feels sick is usually shortened by a day. All of these drugs require a doctor's prescription.
Immunization against flu is still the best prevention.

Handwashing

Handwashing is one of the best things people can do to prevent the spread of flu and many other communicable illnesses.

Rinsing hands under water is not enough to get them clean. Use soap and water to rub the all surfaces of the hands (backs of hands, palms, under and around fingernails, in between fingers, and wrists) for 15 seconds. Time and friction are the key ingredients to effectively remove dirt and germs from the hands. Rinse hands well and use a paper towel to dry. Turn off the faucet with the paper towel.

The times hands are washed are as important as how hands are washed. It is important to wash hands:

After using the bathroom
After coughing, sneezing or blowing the nose
Before starting food preparation and at key times during food preparation (for example, after handling raw meat or eggs)
After changing a diaper or helping a child use the toilet
After working outside
After handling pets and their waste
After handling money
Whenever hands look, smell or feel dirty.

It is especially important to wash hands well when you are sick or are caring for someone who is sick.

Updated 09-18-07