Influenza

Protecting yourself

With winter comes the flu, or influenza, season. You can get influenza any time or year, but it’s typically during winter, from October to March, when the flu seems to run rampant through schools, homes and workplaces. The common term “colds and flu” lumps influenza in with the common cold, but influenza, while common, can be much more dangerous, especially for people over 50. This disease kills about 35,000 people per year, so a flu shot is essential protection against it.

Influenza Vaccine

If you’re 50 or older, see your doctor for a flu shot. If you have chronic health conditions like diabetes, asthma or other illnesses, you’re at an even greater risk for complications from the flu, so the influenza vaccine should be seen as a necessity. Those who have weakened immune systems from cancer treatments, HIV or AIDS or other immune-suppressing diseases or treatments will also need the influenza vaccine; the flu might make many people miserable, but it puts seriously ill people at great risk for devastating complications. Health workers should also routinely get vaccinated.

It’s best to get an influenza vaccine in October or November, before the flu season gets into full swing. But even if you’ve missed those months, ask your doctor about the influenza vaccine – in this case, it’s truly better late than never. The influenza vaccine can’t completely prevent the flu, but it often does. And for those who still get the influenza virus after taking the vaccine, the symptoms are usually greatly reduced in severity.

Influenza symptoms range from mild to severe fevers, aches and pains, coughing, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue and chills.

Influenza Virus

The reason the flu is so highly contagious is that it’s an airborne disease. This means that you don’t have touch anyone or anything to contract it – it travels in the air. An ill person coughing or sneezing sends tiny droplets of moisture into the air, spreading the influenza virus. You can also still catch the flu by touching surfaces after someone with influenza touches them and then those germs can pass from your hand to your nose or mouth.

In addition to the influenza vaccine, the best way to prevent becoming ill with influenza is by practicing good and frequent hand washing. Keep your hands clean, and also keep them away from your nose and mouth. And always wash your hands before eating (though you should be doing that anyway)!