Fever. Coughing. Body aches. Nausea. Vomiting.
The symptoms of the flu are all-too-familiar for many. But before you get the tissues ready for the upcoming flu season, medical experts are urging people everywhere to protect themselves by getting the flu vaccine.
“The Center for Disease Control recommends that all children over 6 months of age receive an annual flu shot. Protection from the flu helps reduce [the risk for those with] underlying medical problems, and it is especially important for children with asthma, diabetes, seizure disorders or other chronic illnesses,” said Michael Ross, M.D., lead physician for the Eastern Maine Medical Center Pediatric Medicine.
During the Annual Influenza/Pneumococcal Conference last week, medical experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said that flu vaccines are available both as a shot and as a nasal spray — and both work well for protecting people against the flu. The nasal spray is recommended for children 6 months old to 8 years old with no underlying conditions.
“We can’t predict what this season is going to be like — severe or not severe. We can’t predict what strains [will be most common.] Last year, it was a relatively bad year for flu. It hit young adults and older people much worse than it usually does,” said Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., director of the CDC, said during the conference. “You need this year’s flu vaccination to protect you against this year’s flu.”
Flu outbreaks can happen at any time, though peak season typically occurs between December and March, according to data from the CDC.
“There is simply no reason to take the risk,” said William Schaffner, M.D.; past-president of National Foundation for Infectious Diseases; and professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Frieden said that last year there were 100 documented deaths of children in the U.S. as a result of the flu — a number that could have been reduced if those children had been vaccinated.
“You really should try every way you can to protect your families,” said Frieden. “Of those, more than 100 kids who died of flu, we know that the actual number is higher. Half of them had no preexisting condition. … We know that over 90 percent of them didn’t get a flu shot.”
Flu vaccines are available through pharmacies, doctor’s offices and clinics around the state.
“We’re confident that there will be ample supply [of the flu vaccine] this year,” said Frieden. “We hope that this year’s vaccine will be a good match with all of this year’s flus.”