Health Information
Fight Flu and Pneumonia
What
What is the Flu? How Serious is it?
Influenza, also
called the "flu," is a highly contagious respiratory infection.
- Symptoms.
Flu can
cause fever, chills, headache, dry cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and
muscle aches. Unlike other common respiratory infections such as the common
cold, influenza can cause extreme fatigue lasting several days to more than a
week. Although nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can sometimes accompany influenza
infection, especially in children, gastrointestinal symptoms are rarely
prominent. The illness that people often call "stomach flu" is not influenza.
- Spread from
person to person.
Influenza is spread easily from person to person
primarily when an infected person coughs or sneezes. After a person has been
infected with the virus, symptoms usually appear within 2 to 4 days. The
infection is considered often contagious for another 3 to 4 days after symptoms
appear. Because of this, people used to think the flu was caused by the
"influence of the stars and planets." In the 1500s, the Italians called the
disease "influenza," their word for influence. Each year, an estimated 10 to 20
percent of the population contracts influenza.
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Who
Who should get a flu shot?
The following
groups are at higher risk for having medical complications from influenza and
should receive the flu shot:
- People 50 years of
age and older
- Residents of
nursing homes and other long-term care facilities housing anyone of any age with
chronic medical conditions
- People with
chronic disorders of the lungs or heart, such as asthma, emphysema, chronic
bronchitis, or cystic fibrosis
- People who are
less able to fight infections because of a disease they are born with; infection
with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV); treatment with drugs such as
long-term steroids; and/or treatment for cancer with x-rays or drugs
- People who have
required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year
because of chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes mellitus), kidney
diseases and blood cell diseases such as sickle cell anemia
- Children and
teenagers 6 months to 18 years of age on long-term aspirin treatment, who, if
they catch influenza, could develop Reye's syndrome which causes coma, liver
damage, and death
- Women who will be
6 or more months pregnant or who will have just delivered during the influenza
season
In addition, to
help protect high-risk people from exposure to influenza, these two groups
should receive influenza vaccinations as well:
- Health care
workers (doctors, nurses, hospital and medical office staff, personnel of
nursing homes or chronic care facilities) in contact with people in high-risk
groups
- People--including
children--who live with persons in high-risk groups for flu (household contacts)
Some of these
same groups should receive one-time vaccination for pneumococcal pneumonia.
The groups at
higher risk for invasive pneumococcal disease include those over 64 years old
and others with increased susceptibility to this infection, such as patients
with HIV, splenectomy, sickle cell disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic disorders
of the lungs or heart, and cirrhosis. You can receive this vaccination on the
same day that you get the flu shot, and for those covered under Medicare Part B,
it is also free when ordered by a physician. However, the pneumococcal vaccine
can be given at any time of year and is a once-in-a-lifetime vaccination for
most people.
If you don't have a
spleen, or if you have chronic renal failure, HIV, cancer, or other diseases
that compromise your immune system, ask your health care provider if a second
pneumococcal vaccination is necessary.
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Where
Where can I get my free flu shot?
Your flu shot is
free, if you are enrolled in Medicare Part B and your health care provider
accepts Medicare assignment. The Medicare program covers the flu shot and the
cost of administration for beneficiaries. Medicare recipients do not have to pay
coinsurance or a deductible under the flu shot benefit. For Managed Care Plan members, most
must get their flu shot from their Managed Care Plan. Check with your Managed Care Plan first. For those
covered under Medicaid, check first with your local social services or health
department. Many private health insurance plans also cover flu vaccine.
You can get a flu
shot at your doctor's office. You may also be able to get a flu shot from your
local health department or from other health-care providers. Medicare Part B
will pay for the shot no matter where you get it, as long as the health care
provider agrees not to charge you more than Medicare pays. To find local health
care providers who accept Medicare as payment in full for the flu shot, you can
also contact your Medicare Carrier. For the phone number of the Medicare Carrier
in your area, see the Helpful Contacts
section of this website. Ask the person giving the shot if there will be any
cost to you.
(Note: Managed Care Plan members
may be required to get shots from their Managed Care Plan. Ask your Managed Care Plan for more information.)
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Why
Why should I get the flu shot?
Here are 5 reasons why:
- The flu is serious business.
Influenza (commonly called the flu) is not just a
runny nose or upset stomach. It is a serious illness that can lead to pneumonia.
At least 45,000 Americans die each year from influenza and pneumonia, the sixth
leading cause of death in the United States. 90 percent of these deaths are
among people 65 years of age or over.
- The flu can be very dangerous for people 50 and older.
People 50 years of age
or over should get a flu shot, unless they are allergic to eggs. It's also
important for those with a chronic illness, and for those who spend a lot of
time around sick or elderly people.
- A flu shot is safe and helps you protect others.
Flu shots are safe and
effective. And when you get a flu shot you help yourself and those around you.
By avoiding the flu, you avoid giving it to friends and family.
- The flu can
make you "blue."
Even if you don't develop serious problems, the flu can
make you feel bad for days. It can cause fever, chills, headache, cough and sore
muscles.
- Medicare Part B pays for it.
When you have Medicare Part B and you get your flu shot from a
Medicare provider, you pay no "coinsurance or deductible." Also, if the person
giving the shot agrees not to charge more than the amount Medicare pays, you pay
nothing. Medicare Part B also pays for the pneumococcal vaccination. Ask your
health care provider about both of these vaccines. (Note: Managed Care Plan members may be
required to get shots from their Managed Care Plan. Ask your Managed Care Plan for more information.)
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When
When should I get the flu shot?
Influenza is most
common in the U.S. from December to April, so it's best to get the flu shot from
October through mid-November. The vaccine begins to protect you after 1 to 2
weeks.
Do I need a flu shot every year?
Yes. Although only
a few different influenza viruses circulate at any given time, people continue
to become ill with the flu throughout their lives. The reason for this
continuing susceptibility is that influenza viruses are continually changing,
usually as a result of mutations in the viral genes. Each year the vaccine is
updated to include the most current influenza virus strains. The fact that
influenza viruses continually change is one of the reasons vaccine must be taken
every year. Another reason is that antibody produced by the person in response
to the vaccine declines over time, and antibody levels are often low one year
after vaccination.
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Uh Oh
I have the flu, what do I do?
Once a person has
the flu, treatment usually consists of resting in bed, drinking plenty of
fluids, and taking medication such as aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve fever
and discomfort. Children with the flu should not take aspirin because of the
associated risk of a rare, but very serious illness called Reyes syndrome.
When should I call my doctor?
Call your doctor if
you have any signs of the flu and:
- You have breathing
or heart problems, or other serious health problems.
- You are taking
drugs that fight cancer (chemotherapy) or weaken your body's natural defenses
against illness.
- You feel sick and
don't seem to be getting better.
- You have a cough
that begins to produce phlegm and turns wet.
- You are worried
about your health and have other questions.
Treating flu with drugs.
Antibiotics are not
effective against flu viruses. However, there are two drugs-- amantadine and
rimantadine--that can be used to treat some types of influenza infection. When
taken within 48 hours after the onset of illness, these drugs can reduce the
duration of fever and other symptoms and allows flu sufferers to return to their
daily routines more quickly. Both of these drugs are only available by
prescription.
Rimantadine is a
derivative of the drug amantadine. Amantadine, however, is more likely to cause
side effects such as lightheadedness and inability to sleep more often than does
rimantadine.
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