Influenza Virus: What You Need to Know

woman Coughing-SneezingAs of early January, flu activity continues to increase in the United States and most of the country, including North Carolina, is experiencing high levels of influenza-like-illness (ILI).  Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can’t say for certain how severe this flu season will be, the reports of ILI in North Carolina already have reached a higher level than has been seen since 2002.

Anyone can get the flu (even healthy people), and serious problems from influenza can happen at any age. However, some people—including the very young and the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic medical conditions like diabetes and asthma—are at higher risk of developing serious complications if they get the flu, including death.

The best way to prevent flu is for everyone 6 months of age and older to get a flu vaccine — every year. Unfortunately too many people still resist the protection a flu shot offers. The following is a series of frequently asked questions and answers about flu, the flu vaccine and its safety and effectiveness that everyone should know.

How do I know that the flu vaccine will protect me from flu?  Flu viruses change from one year to the next so a new vaccine must be created each year. Experts from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO), CDC and other institutions study virus samples collected from around the world. They identify the influenza viruses that are the most likely to cause illness during the upcoming flu season.

In late winter of each year the WHO recommends the specific flu viruses to be targeted by the following season’s flu vaccine. For the 2012-2013 flu season in the Northern Hemisphere the WHO recommended:
• an A virus similar to the H1N1 virus of 2009;
• another A virus similar to the H3N2 virus that circulated in 2011;
• a B virus similar to a strain that we saw in 2010.

In NC so far this flu season, over 90% of those sick with flu have had the H3N2 strain which this year’s flu vaccine protects against.

I got my flu shot last year, so why do I need another one this year?  When you get a flu shot, your body develops defenses against the flu viruses targeted by that vaccine. But those defenses wear off over time and different flu viruses come around the next year.  The vaccine changes each year to keep up with the changes in the flu viruses – which is why it’s important to get the flu vaccine every flu season.

Getting a flu shot every year is the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting the flu.

Won’t the flu vaccine give me the flu?  Sometimes a person gets the flu vaccine and falls ill soon after, so they believe that the vaccine gave them the flu. However, it is impossible for the flu vaccine to cause the flu. The flu shot contains killed viruses, and the nasal spray flu vaccine has weakened viruses that cannot cause illness.

If you get flu-like symptoms soon after getting a flu vaccine, it could mean that you were exposed to the flu before getting the vaccine or during the two-week period after vaccination that it takes for your body to be fully protected from flu. You may have become ill with a flu strain not included in that season’s flu vaccine or with one of many non-flu viruses that cause symptoms similar to the flu.

It takes about 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to be fully effective against the flu virus.

Is the flu vaccine safe? Yes. Both seasonal flu vaccines (the flu shot and nasal spray) have excellent safety records. The vaccines are monitored for safety all year long. Millions of flu vaccines have been given safely over the years, and vaccine safety remains a priority every single year.

The most common side effects reported after getting a flu vaccine include soreness, redness, and swelling at the injection site.

Should a person who is allergic to eggs get a flu shot?  Anyone who has had a severe (life-threatening) allergy or reaction to a previous flu vaccine should not be vaccinated. However, many egg-allergic individuals can safely receive the influenza vaccine.

People who have an allergy to eating eggs should discuss flu vaccination with their doctor.

Do healthy people really need a flu shot? Yes! Everyone who can get a flu vaccine should get one. Even a healthy person who gets the flu feels pretty bad for a week or two before getting back to normal, and every year healthy children and adults die from complications of flu. Getting a flu shot also isn’t just about keeping you from getting flu. It’s also important to protect others from flu including those who cannot get the flu vaccine like infants under 6 months of age.

Protecting yourself from flu also protects your family, friends and others.

What is the flu?  Seasonal flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It is mainly spread when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. The virus can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. A person may also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, eyes or nose. Flu is especially easy to spread in winter when people tend to spend more time indoors with windows closed.

•  Flu season lasts from October until May and typically peaks in January or February.
•  Getting the flu vaccine is your best protection against the flu.
•  Flu-related complications include pneumonia and dehydration.
•  Illness from seasonal flu usually lasts one to two weeks.

Approximately 5-20% of U.S. residents get sick with the flu each year.

What are the symptoms of the flu? People with the flu usually have symptoms that include:  fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue (feeling very tired). Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, but this is more common in children than adults.

Although the flu and common cold have similar symptoms, the flu tends to be more severe.

Who is at risk for the flu? Flu can make anyone sick. However, flu can be especially serious for babies; children; pregnant women; people 65 and older; and people with certain long-term medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart and lung disease. Flu can cause pneumonia, bronchitis and ear infections and can also make chronic health problems like asthma worse.

Flu can lead to a stay in the hospital or sometimes even death.

How can I prevent the flu? The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine. Other simple ways you can protect yourself from flu include:
•  Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
•  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
•  Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
•  Practice good health habits. Get plenty of sleep and exercise, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy food.
•  Cover your nose and mouth with your arm or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it and wash your hands.
•  If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home while you are sick and for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone — without the use of fever-reducing medicine.

Getting the flu vaccine is your best protection against the flu.

Where can I get a flu shot? How much will it cost? Flu shots are available at many grocery and drug stores this year for a small charge. Your medical provider may have flu vaccine in their office, and many insurance policies now pay for a flu vaccine, including Medicare and Medicaid.

The Buncombe County Department of Health is currently giving flu vaccines to anyone at no cost.

You can get these no-cost flu shots in three locations:

•  Buncombe County Department of Health Immunization Clinic, 40 Coxe Avenue Downtown Asheville (across the street from the bus terminal and post office) – Monday – Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm. No appointment needed

•  Buncombe County Human Services West building, 339 Leicester Hwy., – Wednesdays, 8:30am-5:00pm; Thursdays, 8:00am – 12 noon.

•  Black Mountain Methodist Church, 101 Church Street, Black Mountain – 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month, 9:00am-3:00pm

Insurance will be billed for those who have coverage, but there is no cost to anyone to get the vaccine.