The 2010-2011 flu season is ongoing. CDC continues to recommend vaccination for everyone 6 months and older this season. CDC also recommends rapid flu treatment with antiviral drugs for people at high risk of serious flu complications. People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.
Influenza Symptoms
Influenza (also known as the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
* Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
* Cough
* Sore throat
* Runny or stuffy nose
* Muscle or body aches
* Headaches
* Fatigue (tiredness)
* Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
* It's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
How Flu Spreads
Person to Person
People with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. Most experts think that flu viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose.
(To avoid this, people should wash their hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, they should use an alcohol-based hand rub to clean their hands. Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick should not be shared without washing thoroughly first. Eating utensils can be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap and do not need to be cleaned separately.)
The Flu Is Contagious
Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some persons can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons may still spread the virus to others.
CDC Says “Take 3” Actions To Fight The Flu
Flu is a serious contagious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death. In 2009–2010, a new and very different flu virus (called 2009 H1N1) spread worldwide causing the first flu pandemic in more than 40 years. Flu is unpredictable, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects the 2009 H1N1 virus to spread this upcoming season along with other seasonal flu viruses.
CDC urges you to take the following actions to protect yourself and others from influenza (the flu):
1. Take time to get the Flu Vaccine
* CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.
* While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine protects against the three viruses that research suggests will be most common.
* The 2010-2011 flu vaccine will protect against an influenza A H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the 2009 H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season.
* Everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated against the flu as soon as the 2010-2011 season vaccine is available.
* People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.
* Vaccination of high risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness.
* Vaccination also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from spreading flu to high risk people.
* Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu illness, but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for them should be vaccinated instead.
2. Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.*
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
* If you are sick with flu–like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
* While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
3. Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.
* If you get the flu, antiviral drugs can treat your illness.
* Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) and are not available over-the-counter.
* Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious flu complications.
* It’s very important that antiviral drugs be used early (within the first 2 days of symptoms) to treat people who are very sick (such as those who are hospitalized) or people who are sick with flu symptoms and who are at increased risk of severe flu illness, such as pregnant women, young children, people 65 and older and people with certain chronic health conditions.
* Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.
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