Prevention
Flu Vaccine
The main way to keep from getting flu is to get a yearly flu vaccine. You can get the vaccine at your health care provider's office or a local clinic, and in many communities at workplaces, supermarkets, and drugstores. You must get the vaccine every year because it changes.
Scientists make a different vaccine every year because the strains of flu viruses change from year to year. Nine to 10 months before the flu season begins, they prepare a new vaccine made from inactivated (killed) flu viruses. Because the viruses have been killed, they cannot cause infection. The vaccine preparation is based on the strains of the flu viruses that are in circulation at the time. It includes those A and B viruses expected to circulate the following winter. More information about A and B viruses.
Sometimes, an unpredicted new strain may appear after the vaccine has been made and distributed. Because of this, even if you do get the flu vaccine, you still may get infected. If you do get infected, however, the disease will usually be milder because the vaccine will still give you some protection.
Until recently, you could get the flu vaccine only as an injection (shot). In 2003, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a nasal spray flu vaccine called FluMist® that you can get from your health care provider. The FDA approved it for use in healthy people aged 2 to 49 years.
You Should Not Use FluMist® If
- You have certain lung conditions, including asthma, or heart conditions
- You have metabolic disorders such as diabetes or kidney dysfunction
- You have an immunodeficiency disease or are on immunosuppressive treatment
- You have had Guillain-Barré syndrome
- You are pregnant
- You have a history of allergy or hypersensitivity, including anaphylaxis, to any of the parts of FluMist or to eggs
Children or teenagers who regularly take aspirin or products containing aspirin also should not take FluMist.
Your immune system takes time to respond to the flu vaccine. Therefore, you should get vaccinated 6 to 8 weeks before flu season begins in November to prevent getting infected or to reduce the severity of flu if you do get it. Because the flu season usually lasts until March, however, it's not too late to get the vaccine after the season has begun. The vaccine itself cannot cause the flu, but you could be exposed to the virus by someone else and become infected soon after you are vaccinated.
Possible Side Effects
You should be aware that the flu shot can cause side effects. The most common side effect in children and adults is soreness at the site of the vaccination. Other side effects, especially in children who previously have not been exposed to the flu virus, include fever, tiredness, and sore muscles. These side effects may begin 6 to 12 hours after vaccination and may last for up to 2 days.
Some people may opt for FluMist®, the nasal-spray vaccine. Some side effects include runny nose, headache, cough, and fever.
Viruses for producing the vaccine are grown in chicken eggs and then killed with a chemical so that they can no longer cause an infection. The flu vaccine may contain some egg protein, which can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, if you are allergic to eggs or have ever had a serious allergic reaction to the flu vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you consult with your health care provider before getting vaccinated.
Vaccine Recommendations
If you are in any of the following groups or live in a household with someone who is, CDC recommends that you get the flu vaccine.
- Children and adolescents aged 6 months to 19 years
- Adults 50 years of age or older
- People with chronic diseases of the heart, lungs, or kidneys
- People with diabetes
- Those whose immune systems do not function properly
- People with a severe form of anemia
- Women who will be more than 3 months pregnant during the flu season
- People who live in a nursing home or other chronic-care housing facility
- Those in close contact with children 0 to 23 months of age
Health care providers and volunteers should get the flu vaccine if they work with people in any of the above groups.
Medicine for Prevention
Although the flu vaccine is the best way to prevent getting the flu, four antiviral medicines that will help prevent flu infection are also available by prescription. Two of these antivirals, amantadine and rimantadine, are no longer recommended because of documented influenza A resistance to them.
- Tamiflu® (oseltamivir)
- Relenza® (zanamivir)
Tamiflu® may be used by adults and children who are 1 year of age and older. For people 5 years of age and older, Relenza® is used to prevent the flu.
- These medicines help prevent the flu if you take them for at least 2 weeks during an outbreak of flu in your community.
- You may use these medicines if you are in close contact with family members or others who have the flu.
- You may use them if you are in close contact with people who have been vaccinated but whom you want to give added protection from getting the flu.
- You may use them immediately after being vaccinated during a flu epidemic to protect you during the 2- to 4-week period before antibodies develop, or when a flu epidemic is caused by virus strains other than those covered by the vaccine. (Antibodies are proteins from your immune system that protect you from the flu virus.)
Your health care provider can help you decide which medicine is best for you. You should discuss the flu vaccine and medicines with your health care provider before the flu season begins.
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