Health Tip

Flu Season 2004

       Only half the amount of flu vaccine anticipated in the United States will be available this flu season. Public health experts are recommending that people at high risk of flu complications be given priority for vaccination. So, who should be vaccinated, and what should you do if you aren’t in a priority group?

Who Should Be Vaccinated?
       The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends giving priority for the flu vaccination to people who are at high risk of developing flu-related complications, including:

• Children age six months to 23 months
• People age 65 and older
• People age two to 64 with a chronic medical condition, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or lung disease
• Pregnant women
• Residents of chronic care facilities
• Healthcare workers who have direct patient contact
• Children on chronic aspirin therapy
• Close household contacts of children less than six months of age

       The CDC asks anyone not at high risk of complications to defer their flu vaccine this year, making the vaccine available for those individuals who need it the most.

Who Shouldn’t Be Vaccinated?
       If you are allergic to eggs or any components of the vaccine, or if you have a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome, talk with your doctor before getting a flu shot. Also if you are experiencing an illness with a high fever, wait until you feel better before getting vaccinated.

When Is the Best Time to Get Vaccinated?
       The best time to get your flu vaccine is during October or November. After receiving your vaccine, it takes about two weeks for your body to develop resistance to the viruses in the vaccine. Vaccination early in the flu season gives you the best odds at avoiding illness. However, during a typical year, flu activity lasts into March. So if you get a flu shot late in the season, even in December or January, it can still offer you
some protection.

What Should You Do If You or Your Children Get the Flu
       First of all, don’t go to work or send your children to school. You will risk spreading this contagious disease to someone else. To relieve your symptoms:

• Rest
• Drink plenty of liquids
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco
• Consider an over-the-counter medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, other medications) to ease the discomfort associated with muscle aches and fever, but don’t give aspirin to children or teenagers
• Use antiviral medications if prescribed by your doctor

Can You Take Any Medicine to Treat the Flu?
       In addition to working as a preventive measure, antiviral medications also help treat influenza. These medicines won’t cure influenza, but they can help decrease the severity of your symptoms and reduce the duration of your illness by one to two days.

       To be most effective, you should take an antiviral medication within 48 hours of the onset of your symptoms. These drugs are available only by a prescription from your doctor. The antiviral medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating influenza include Amantadine (Symmetrel), Rimantadine (Flumadine), Zanamivir (Relenza), and Oseltamivir (Tamiflu).

How to Protect You and Your Family from the Flu
       Besides vaccination, you can take other measures to help protect you and your family from the flu:

• Practice Good Hygiene. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers frequently.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth whenever possible.
• Avoid crowds when the flu is most prevalent in your area.
• And remember, don’t go to work or send your children to school if you/they are not feeling well. You can prolong your recovery as well as spread your illness to others.

Nov 2004