{"id":40937,"date":"2021-08-26T14:33:15","date_gmt":"2021-08-26T20:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=40937"},"modified":"2024-12-24T09:00:09","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T16:00:09","slug":"everything-to-know-about-the-flu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/everything-to-know-about-the-flu\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything to know about the flu"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"A
One of the best ways to see a provider, without leaving the comfort of your home, is to schedule a video visit. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What exactly is the flu?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. There are four types of the virus, but only two (A and B) are responsible for the yearly outbreaks we call flu season, which typically stretches from September to March and sometimes into April. The disease is highly contagious and spreads primarily through respiratory droplets let loose when a person sneezes or coughs. The virus changes from year to year and that\u2019s why we need a new flu shot every year.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Peak activity in flu season. Source: CDC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why should I worry about it?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The flu is not the common cold<\/a>. It\u2019s more dangerous and can make people critically ill. Its symptoms, including fever and body aches, are more intense and last longer than a typical cold. For most people, it causes a week or two of misery before recovery, but the most recent flu season also produced at least 410,000 hospitalizations and at least 24,000 deaths in the United States,\u00a0according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For a detailed analysis of the toll of influenza over the past decade, click\u00a0here.<\/p>\n

To prevent a “Twindemic” or a double epidemic of COVID-19 and flu, we must get vaccinated, take proper precautions and respond to symptoms.<\/p>\n

What’s the prediction for flu season 2021-2022?<\/h2>\n

Experts predict that this year’s flu season could be severe.\u00a0The coming flu season may be severe. Here’s why – CNN<\/a><\/p>\n

\"a
Source: CDC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How do I protect myself against the flu? Get your flu shot, of course.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The best move is to get vaccinated.\u00a0Doing so isn\u2019t a guarantee against infection<\/a>, but it does lessen the risk considerably to yourself and others. And as\u00a0Dr. Emily Valenta<\/a>, who practices family medicine at\u00a0UCHealth Primary Care \u2013 Rockrimmon in Colorado Springs<\/a>\u00a0notes, getting the vaccine decreases the chances that you\u2019ll have to go to the hospital or visit the emergency department because of the flu.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s more important this season than ever before,\u201d Valenta said.<\/p>\n

How does the flu vaccine help?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The vaccine, though not a foolproof protection against influenza, greatly increases your chances of warding off illness and protecting others from it. That, in turn, will prevent trips to the emergency room and the hospital and reduce stress on health care workers and facilities.<\/p>\n

Flu season also brings with it plenty of questions about the disease and the need for vaccinations. Herewith, some answers.<\/p>\n

Also very important are the basic public health steps most of us have followed for months now in the wake of COVID-19. These include frequent hand washing, maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, and sneezing or coughing into the crook of the arm rather than the hands.<\/p>\n

Just what is the vaccine?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The flu vaccine contains pieces of the influenza virus, or antigens. Once administered, our immune systems learn to recognize the enemy and produce armies of antibodies to protect against it. The available shots are trivalent (which protects against two strains of Type A influenza and one of Type B) and quadrivalent (which adds protection against another, rarer strain of Type B). Some, but not all, people ages 2 through 49 can receive a\u00a0nasal spray vaccine<\/a>\u00a0that protects against all four strains of the A and B viruses.<\/p>\n

Is one vaccine better than the others?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

No. \u201cThey are equivalent in terms of protection,\u201d Valenta said. As noted above, the nasal spray vaccine isn\u2019t for everyone.<\/p>\n

Is Moderna developing an mRNA flu vaccine?<\/h2>\n

Yes, Moderna is developing mRNA-1010 to protect against common flu<\/a> strains as recommended by the World Health Organization. The company is hoping to improve on traditional flu shots which are typically about 40% to 60% effective.<\/p>\n

Who should get vaccinated?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The short answer is everyone who is six months of age and older. There are only rare exceptions<\/a>. It is particularly important for people ages 65 and older to get a flu vaccine, Valenta said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is certainly a group that we have identified as high risk and will obviously benefit more from getting vaccinated,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The CDC also emphasizes the importance of vaccinating children younger than five years old because of their risk of developing serious complications if they are infected by the virus. A list of all groups at highest risk of flu-related complications is available\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When should I get vaccinated?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s always best to do so as early as possible. Get vaccinated now. It’s especially important to get your flu shot this year because of the added challenges that COVID-19 will cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe earlier you can protect yourself, the better,\u201d Valenta said.<\/p>\n

When will vaccinations be available?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Flu vaccines are available now. Patients with UCHealth can schedule appointments online through My Health Connection, the patient portal. Many other sites will offer the vaccine, including some for free or at reduced cost.\u00a0The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has more information on available locations throughout the state<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never gotten the flu and I have no health problems. Why should I get vaccinated?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Valenta said she hears this objection often from patients.\u00a0\u201c<\/strong>I usually respond to this by comparing it to any other preventive measure such as a seatbelt,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u201cI ask them if they have ever been in a bad car accident and if they say \u2018no\u2019 I ask them if they still wear a seatbelt.\u201d That example seems to sway most patients, she said.<\/p>\n

Valenta added that she also explains the concept of herd immunity \u2013 the idea that increasing the number of vaccinated people reduces the risk of the virus spreading through the community. More people with immunity means fewer opportunities for the virus to find victims \u2013 especially the most vulnerable, Valenta said.<\/p>\n

With the delta variant causing a spike in the number of people needing to be hospitalized, getting a flu shot helps protect you and frontline health care workers who are tending to the ill in clinics and hospitals.<\/p>\n

I got vaccinated and I got the flu. Why would I do that again?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Simply put, \u201cthere is no way to get the flu from the flu shot,\u201d Valenta said. That\u2019s because the trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines contain particles of the influenza virus that have been rendered inactive in the laboratory. The nasal spray contains\u00a0live viruses that have been \u201cattenuated,\u201d or weakened in the laboratory<\/a>\u00a0such that they don\u2019t cause disease.<\/p>\n

So what causes the post-vaccination symptoms that people mistake for the flu itself? \u201cWhat people experience is a brief reaction that typically lasts 24 to 48 hours and involves some low-grade fevers and muscle aches or soreness at the site of injection,\u201d Valenta said.\u00a0The symptoms are an over response by the immune system to the vaccine that \u201cpeople commonly misinterpret as the actual influenza infection itself,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Where can I get more information about the flu?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The CDC is the most comprehensive source<\/a>. The\u00a0Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment <\/a>provides regularly updated data for the state of Colorado.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What exactly is the flu?\u00a0 The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. There are four types of the virus, but only two (A and B) are responsible for the yearly outbreaks we call flu season, which typically stretches from September to March and sometimes into April. The disease is highly contagious […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":41263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9187,3981],"class_list":["post-40937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-readysetco","tag-video-appointment"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEverything to know about the flu - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. 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