Your head aches, and so does every muscle in your body. You’re cold one minute and hot the next. Your throat is scratchy and you’re starting to cough. You might be coming down with the flu!
Fall is a wonderful time of year in Las Vegas, but it signals something less pleasant — flu season.
The flu season is unpredictable each year, making precautionary action and the flu shot absolutely necessary. Often when you’re sick with a virus, your body builds a defense system by making antibodies against it, meaning you usually don’t get that particular virus strain again. However, the flu — also known as influenza — is very different; flu viruses mutate each year, so you are not protected even if you’ve had the flu in the past.
Typically, flu season begins in early fall, but it can peak as late as February and last until spring in some states. We hear about the flu every year to the point where it may seem only as serious as a common cold, but it is important to look at the flu as a dangerous disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death if not treated properly.
The flu is extremely contagious and can spread when infected people cough, sneeze or even talk, putting you at risk in highly populated areas, at your workplace and even in your own home. Just as with any illness, it is important to stay clear of people who appear ill, but that may not be enough. People can pass the flu to others before they know they are sick, so you may not even see it coming.
Most folks don’t realize how serious the flu can be, with complications including pneumonia, heart failure, or worsening of existing conditions like diabetes or asthma. Some seasons have seen flu-associated deaths in the United States reaching 49,000 and hospitalizations as high as 200,000.
It is important to note that the flu usually comes on suddenly. Symptoms, which can easily be mistaken for a cold, may include constant cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, loss of appetite and fatigue. The best way to protect yourself and your family is to get a flu vaccine every year. It takes about two weeks for your body to be protected after receiving the vaccine, so it is important to get it done as early in the season as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older. People who are older than 65, pregnant, or have chronic medical conditions such as diabetes are especially high risk and should not miss their yearly flu shot. The flu vaccine is safe for all people, including pregnant women.
To help protect yourself and others from the flu, please consider these five tips:
• Get a flu shot (most important tip!)
• Wash your hands to reduce the spread of germs
• Stay away from people who are sick
• If you’re sick, stay home to prevent spreading flu to others
• Cover coughs and sneezes
The flu does not discriminate against age or health habits. Even people that consider themselves “healthy” or who rarely get sick may think they are immune, but they can miss work or school for a significant amount of time or even be hospitalized, which makes the flu shot crucial. Just because you’re young or don’t typically get sick doesn’t mean you can’t catch the flu, as you are at risk of catching the flu from someone who has yet to exhibit any signs or symptoms of being sick.
The flu shot is not expensive. In most cases, the cost of a flu shot is covered by your health plan, whether you buy health insurance on your own, are covered through your employer, or are enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid. Many employers offer free onsite flu shot clinics at the office, and most neighborhood pharmacies offer walk-in options, so you don’t need to make an appointment.
If you are unemployed or your employer doesn’t offer flu shots, you can go to your primary care doctor or nearby wellness clinic, most retail pharmacies or contracted flu shot providers. Flu activity begins to increase in October, so be sure to make your health and your family’s health a priority and get a flu shot soon. The financial and personal costs, as well as the potential for missed days of work or school, far exceed the cost of the vaccination.