Thursday, September 30, 1999
Questions and answers about influenza
What is it?
Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by a virus that spreads through direct contact from one person to another or through airborne droplets that are sneezed or coughed by an infected person. The virus invades the nose and throat; it can live for a short time on objects such as door knobs, telephone receivers and pens, which is why it can spread so quickly among schools, groups or families.
What are the symptoms
Fever, cough, chills and shakes, runny nose, sore throat, headache and muscle aches. People can be sick for several days to a week or more; serious illness requires hospitalization. About 20,000-40,000 Americans die each year from influenza.
Why should people get a flu shot?
The flu shot prevents flu in 70 percent to 90 percent of healthy adults who receive it. Its effectiveness lessens in the elderly and in people with certain chronic medical problems; for some, the vaccine might not prevent infection but will reduce the severity of the disease.
A flu shot reduces by 70 percent an older person's risk of being hospitalized by the flu and reduces the risk of flu-related death by 80 percent. Among nursing home residents, flu shots cut hospitalization and the risk of pneumonia by more than half and reduce the risk of death 75 percent to 80 percent.
Each flu vaccine targets three common influenza viruses that have been circulating elsewhere in the world during the previous year. The 1999-2000 vaccine protects against A-Beijing, A-Sydney and B-Beijing influenza strains.
Who needs it?
• Anyone 65 or older.
• Residents of nursing homes and residents of long-term care facilities of any age who have chronic health problems.
• Adults and children with chronic health problems: lung disease, heart problems, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, anemia and blood disorders, or suppressed immunity because of cancer treatments, AIDS and long-term steroid use.
• Children and teens (ages 6 months to 18 years) who are on long-term aspirin therapy and might be at risk for flu-related Reye Syndrome.
• Women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during flu season, which usually spans November to April.
• Doctors, nurses, family members and anyone who comes in contact with people in those high-risk groups.
Who doesn't need it?
Anyone who is allergic to eggs (the vaccine is cultured in an egg medium), anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to a previous flu shot or anyone who has a history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a potentially paralyzing nerve disorder that can develop as a reaction to the flu shot.
For more information: (513) 931-7468.
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