Q's Health News

It’s that time of year… time to get your flu shot!

Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. Respiratory means it’s an issue with lungs and breathing. Influenza (sometimes called the Flu) symptoms can be mild or severe. Symptoms start abruptly, not gradually. A person infected with the influenza virus could experience fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, severe body or muscle aches, headache, and extreme fatigue. Some people may experience vomiting and diarrhea, this is more common in young children than adults.

There are many myths circulating that may cause people to refrain from getting vaccinated. A flu shot does NOT cause a person to get influenza. The influenza protects against 3 or 4 common influenza viruses. You can still get other infections from other viruses or bacteria that cause the common cold or nausea and diarrhea. Also, the flu shot is not a 100% guarantee that you won’t get influenza. However, if you do get infected with an influenza virus after getting vaccinated, you’ll likely have less severe symptoms. Some think that if they are allergic to eggs, they shouldn’t get vaccinated. That’s not true. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends those with egg allergy to get vaccinated. If you have a SEVERE egg allergy (anaphylaxis), then you should stay in your doctor’s office for 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine.

The Influenza virus is spread by water droplets from a contagious individual that are expelled when that person sneezes, coughs, or talks. Those droplets can land on a person up to 6 feet away; when those droplets get into that person’s mouth or nose, they can contract Influenza. There is also a possibility that contagious droplets that land on a surface can be picked up by an individual.

The best way to prevent getting influenza is by getting a flu vaccination! The CDC recommends yearly influenza vaccinations as the most important step in protecting yourself and others against the flu. Yearly flu shots are recommended, because immunity wanes, and the vaccine is changed yearly with the forecasted most common viruses. The flu vaccine can reduce the flu illness symptoms, doctor’s visits, missed work and school, and hospitalizations. Everyone 6 months and older, even those with an allergy to eggs, is recommended to get their flu vaccine by the end of October.

Getting vaccinated not only protects you, but those around you! The very young (less than 6 months old) are too young to get vaccinated. The very old have weakened immune systems; even if they get the influenza vaccine, they may not build a high immune response and may not be able to fully protect themselves from Influenza. So, these populations need the people around them to be vaccinated to prevent them from getting influenza.

There are everyday preventive actions that can be done to stop the spread of the Influenza virus and other germs. When you are sick, you should limit contact with others as much as possible to avoid spreading Influenza. If you have a fever, stay home for 24 hours after your fever has resolved. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue if you sneeze or cough. Wash your hands with soap and water often, or use hand sanitizer if it is available. Avoid touching your mouth and eyes, as germs spread this way. Clean and disinfect surfaces that may be contaminated with the influenza virus or other germs.

There’s no time like the present to get vaccinated! Contact your local clinic or pharmacy to inquire about getting an influenza vaccine today!

Go to http://www.cdc.gov/flu for more information on Influenza. Thanks for joining me! If you have questions or comments, you can find me at Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association or you can email me at rwilliams@dmhainc.com.