Flu season news

On September 15, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt announced the purchase of flu vaccine and antiviral medications that could be used in the event of a potential influenza pandemic.

The 2005 purchases of flu vaccine build on the HHS department’s plans to buy enough vaccine for 20 million people and enough antivirals for another 20 million. These supplies of vaccine and antiviral treatment will be placed in the nation’s Strategic National Stockpile, where they will be available for use should an influenza pandemic occur.

“These countermeasures provide us with tools that we have never had prior to previous influenza pandemics,” Secretary Leavitt said. “Never before have we possessed the wealth of knowledge on the problem and the ability to prepare for it. These new contracts are part of our aggressive, multi-pronged approach to planning for pandemic influenza.”

Basics: Catching the flu

Droplets from sneezing, coughing and speaking from a person who has the flu are inhaled and begin to grow in the lungs. The impact of the viral growth affects other body parts.

Flu symptoms

Symptoms of flu are more severe than those of colds, come on abruptly and include high fever, cough and body and muscle aches.

Flu impacts your daily life by…

• …leading to school absenteeism

• …leading to days off from work

• …leading to complications, such as pneumonia, requiring hospitalization

• …affecting all other aspects of normal daily activity

Most people recover from the flu within one or two weeks, but others, especially the elderly, may feel weak for a long time even after the symptoms go away.

The flu can be fatal in:

• The elderly

• People with chronic diseases

• Anyone with a weak immune system

The best tool for preventing the flu is the flu vaccine, and the best time to get a flu vaccine is from early October to mid-November. The vaccine can also be given at any point during the flu season, even if the virus has already begun to spread in your community. You need a flu vaccine every year because the virus is constantly changing and new vaccines are developed annually to protect against new strains. The conventional methods to avoid the flu: avoid close contact with sick people, stay home when you are sick, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

The information presented here is not medical advice. You need to talk with your physician to know for sure if you should or should not get a flu vaccine!

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