- Although many may think of influenza as just a harmless “cold”, the number of influenza-related associated pulmonary and circulatory deaths has increased over the past two decades
- On average, the influenza virus and its complications accounts for over 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths in the United States each year.
- Common signs and symptoms of influenza (commonly known as the “flu”) include fever (usually high), headache, extreme fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, muscle aches, and stomach symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Complications of the flu include pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic diseases like diabetes or heart failure.
- Influenza virus strains are constantly changing, with protection from the vaccine decreasing within a year after vaccination, so an annual influenza shot is imperative in all patient populations at risk (especially patients that have diabetes, heart failure, or breathing problems like COPD and asthma, or immunocompromised patients).
- Currently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the influenza vaccination for:
- all children ages 6 months to 19 years
- pregnant women
- people 50 years and older
- those living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities
- certain patients that have high risk disease states like diabetes, heart failure, COPD, asthma, etc
- People who live with or care for those at high risk (like health care workers, and household contacts of persons less than 6 months old and those at high risk for complications of the flu).
- This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated the week of December 8-14, 2008, as National Influenza Vaccination Week, intended to educate the public about the importance of influenza vaccination
- The flu shot is free for patients with Medicare Part B and it is covered by most private health insurance plans too.
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