This article will help you in case of seasonal flu, but is not targeted to swine or another pandemic flu. You can link here to learn more about swine flu 2009 - 2010.
Think you have the flu? Afraid you've been exposed? Is it going around at work, or in your child's school?
Here are some resources to help you get through this year's seasonal flu:
What is influenza? What do I have to do if I get the seasonal flu?
You can learn a great deal about the seasonal flu from ADAM, including what distinguishes the flu from other upper respiratory illnesses, its causes, symptoms, treatment, complications, and when to call a doctor.
Here's some advice for deciding whether it's time to call in sick to work or stay home from school.
Is it too late to get a flu shot?
Depending on where you live, and how prevalent the flu is in your area, you may still benefit from a flu shot. Experts say it takes two weeks for the vaccine to really protect you. In past years, the flu has peaked during February, but thousands of people get it well beyond February, even into the summer.
Your best bet is to check with your primary care doctor or your local flu clinic. Here's a master list of clinics already scheduled.
If you are having trouble deciding whether to get a flu shot, there are some questions you'll want to ask yourself that will help you decide whether you should get a flu shot.
Who should get a flu shot?
The CDC changed its recommendations in 2008 and now many young and healthy people are included on the list of who should get a flu shot. The change was based on the fact that flu is so contagious; therefore, those adults and children who spend time with others who are older or sick need the vaccine.
See if you or your children are on the list of people who should get a seasonal flu shot.
A reminder that the recommendations for getting an H1N1 swine flu shot are different.
Did you get a flu shot last year, but you still got the flu?
Learn why the flu shot didn't prevent much of the flu during the 2007 - 2008 flu season.
Experts tell us it's impossible to get the flu from a flu shot, because the vaccine is made from "killed" pathogens. Yes, it's possible that you got sick shortly after getting the shot, but if you did, it's because you were exposed to the germ that made you sick before you got the shot. Because it takes two weeks for the vaccine to begin protecting you, the crossover in time didn't stop your flu.
Further, even if you got the flu, it may not have been the one you got vaccinated against. Every flu virus requires its own vaccine.
When is the flu not really the flu?
When it's a stomach virus. Influenza is an upper respiratory disease. They are two different things and need to be treated differently.
Where does the flu come from? Who gets it first?
There is a real science to studying flu outbreaks, and that is the basis for developing the flu vaccine each year. The CDC provides a good explanation about how flu develops.
In addition, we can all participate in protecting ourselves and others from passing the flu on to the next person. It's highly contagious and is spread through touch, and through the air. Even if you've gotten a flu shot, wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth if you cough, or cover your nose and mouth if you sneeze, and stay home from work or school till you no longer have a fever.
Does anyone track flu outbreaks?
Yes. The CDC posts a seasonal flu report each week that tracks flu outbreaks. Also, Google has its own system for tracking the flu, based on the IP addresses of people who do searches for flu-related information.
Learn more about how Google tracks the flu, or learn how to avoid having Google track you.
Why is it called seasonal flu if it strikes us almost all year round?
There are actually several kinds of flu, and not all of them travel across the globe on an annual basis. Other kinds of flu include Avian Flu, Swine Flu and Pandemic Flu. The CDC describes each of these additional types of flu at its website. You can learn more about the H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic to learn the differences.
What should you do if your child gets the flu?
Children may suffer the symptoms of flu differently from adults. Parents should know what the differences may be, and prepare to protect or care for their children. This includes everything from vaccinating them against the seasonal flu, to knowing what to do if their children do get the flu. In addition, because children are so good at passing on their germs, children need to be kept away from other people (like grandparents) who are not as strong or have weakened immune systems.
The CDC has put together a special parents' guide for taking care of children with flu.
You may also want to prepare for flu, just in case you or a loved one gets it.
Here are some places to learn more about the seasonal flu:
We have information about this year's flu across the health channel here at About.com:
- Begin with an entire About.com site devoted to colds and flu.
- ADAM - the health illustrated encyclopedia spells out everything from symptoms to complications of flu
- Other About.com sites of interest with flu information:
- Our guide to pediatrics has written extensively on children and the flu.
- From the guide to Dying
- From the guide to Arthritis
- From the guide to Women's Health
- From the guide to Multiple Sclerosis
