Influenza (Flu)
What is it?
Influenza, or “flu,” is a respiratory virus that can infect the nose, throat, and lungs. It is spread when infected people cough or sneeze. Symptoms can come on suddenly and can include fever or chills, body aches, headaches, cough, runny/stuffy nose, fatigue, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. People may refer to many different mild illnesses as the flu. True influenza is more likely to cause severe disease than most other viruses that cause cough and cold or stomach symptoms.
Illness from influenza may be mild, but can be severe and even cause hospitalization or death. Thankfully, there’s a vaccine to protect against flu.
Why is the vaccine important?
Young children are at increased risk for complications from flu. Some children, including those with chronic health conditions like asthma and diabetes, are especially at risk. Each year, between 6,000 and 27,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized because of flu complications. Pregnant people, adults with chronic health conditions, and people 65 years and older are also at increased risk from flu complications. However, even previously healthy children can become seriously ill from seasonal flu. Each year, over 100 children in the U.S. die from influenza.
Practicing healthy habits like handwashing and covering your cough are important measures for preventing flu. But the best way to prevent it is to get a flu vaccine each year.
Some people who get vaccinated may still get sick with the flu. However, being vaccinated drastically reduces the chance of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from flu. Vaccination also makes spreading the flu to others less likely. It is especially important to get vaccinated if you live with or care for people who are at high risk. This helps protect them from flu by lowering your chances of getting and spreading the virus.
Vaccine Recommendations
Flu viruses are constantly changing. Each year, experts use data to predict which flu virus strains will be most common during the upcoming flu season. They use this information to create new flu vaccines every year. It is important to get a flu shot each year to protect against that year’s virus. Everyone 6 months and older should get their flu shot before the end of October. However, getting the vaccine later, or any time flu is circulating, is better than not getting vaccinated at all.
There are several flu vaccine options available depending on age. Your child may be able to receive a nasal spray vaccine instead of a shot. People with an egg allergy may get any vaccine (egg-based or non-egg-based). Your child’s health care provider can tell you which vaccine is best for your child. If your child has a weakened immune system, talk to their doctor about which vaccine is right for them.
For flu and flu vaccine information specific to the current flu season, visit the CDC’s Key Facts About Influenza Vaccines webpage. You can find a flu shot at most doctor's offices, health departments, and pharmacies. Find a vaccine provider near you at Vaccines.gov.
Side Effects
Vaccines, like any medicine, can cause side effects (also known as "adverse reactions"). Most side effects are mild and go away within a few days. Common side effects include fever, headache, or body aches. Some people may have redness or pain where the shot was given and may feel tired. Other flu vaccine side effects may include nausea and fainting. Side effects are normal. They can even be a good sign that the immune system is working to build antibodies that will fight off future infections!
The flu vaccine cannot give someone the flu. Even though some vaccine side effects are similar to flu symptoms, you cannot get sick with the flu from the vaccine.
Remember, vaccines are continuously studied. They are also closely monitored for safety. Research continues to show that flu vaccines are safe, and the benefits outweigh the risks. The risk of a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine is rare (about 1 in 1 million). The choice not to vaccinate is ultimately more risky. Not vaccinating may lead to catching a potentially deadly disease.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about vaccine side effects. In the event of a serious allergic reaction, call 9-1-1.
Did you know? The CDC publishes weekly flu case data on their website. You can track the data by state to see flu activity in your area.
