My columns
usually start with a question from a reader, but this one was suggested by a
sharp newspaper editor who thought I should warn seniors to get a flu shot.
Thanks for the idea.
The last
flu season in the U.S. and Canada was mild, but health officials are predicting
that this season will be nasty. Flu season in the northern hemisphere can range
from as early as November to as late as May. The peak month usually is
February.
More than
200,000 flu victims are hospitalized annually in the United States; about
36,000 people die from it. As much as 20 percent of the U.S. population gets
the flu each year.
Flu is a
contagious illness of the respiratory system caused by the influenza virus. Flu
can lead to pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis, ear problems and dehydration.
Droplets
from coughing and sneezing spread the flu. An adult with flu can infect others
beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming
sick. Children may spread flu for more than seven days.
The best
way to combat the bug is to get the flu vaccine. You have to get inoculated
annually because new vaccines are prepared every year to combat new versions of
the virus. When you battle the flu, you develop antibodies to the invading
virus, but those antibodies don’t work on new strains. The vaccine does not
prevent flu in all people; it works better in younger recipients than older
ones.
[Personal
note: I used to catch the flu every winter. About 10 years ago, I started getting
the vaccine. I haven’t had the flu since.]
Contrary to
rumor, you can’t catch the flu from the vaccine. The flu vaccine is not made
from a live virus.
The vaccine
can be administered anytime during flu season. However, the best time to get
inoculated is October-November. Adults over 50 are prime candidates for the
vaccine because the flu can be fatal for older people,
You can get
the flu vaccine from your doctor, at public health centers, senior centers,
pharmacies and supermarkets.
There is a
flu vaccine in nasal-spray form that has been approved by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration for healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49. The nasal
spray’s safety has not been established in seniors.
The
recovery time for the flu is about one to two weeks. However, in seniors,
weakness may persist for a longer time.
The common
scenario for flu is a sudden onset of symptoms, which include chills, fatigue,
fever, cough, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, muscle aches and
appetite loss.
While
nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can be related to the flu, these are rarely the
primary flu symptoms. The flu is not a stomach or intestinal disease. The term
“stomach flu” is inaccurate.
When
symptoms strike, get to a doctor as soon as possible; the faster the better. There
are prescription antiviral drugs to treat flu.
Over-the-counter
medicines can help relieve symptoms of the flu. You should also drink liquids
to prevent dehydration, and sleep to bolster your immune system,
If you have
a question, please write to fredcicetti@gmail.com
All Rights Reserved © 2007 by Fred Cicetti