The following information is courtesy of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information visit the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov/flu or call the CDC at 1-800-232-2522 (English/Español).

What is Influenza (flu)?
Influenza, commonly called "the flu," is caused by the influenza virus, which infects the respiratory tract (nose, throat, lungs). Unlike many other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, the flu causes severe illness and life-threatening complications in many people.

Flu Symptoms
Influenza is a respiratory illness. Symptoms of flu include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Children can have additional gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, but these symptoms are uncommon in adults. Although the term "stomach flu" is sometimes used to describe vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea, these illnesses are caused by certain other viruses, bacteria, or possibly parasites, and are rarely related to influenza.

Is the Flu Contagious and How Does it Spread?
The Flu IS contagious. The period when an infected person is contagious depends on the age of the person. Adults may be contagious from one day prior to becoming sick and for three to seven days after they first develop symptoms. Some children may be contagious for longer than a week.

The flu is spread, or transmitted, when a person who has the flu coughs, sneezes, or speaks and sends flu virus into the air, and other people inhale the virus. The virus enters the nose, throat, or lungs of a person and begins to multiply, causing symptoms of influenza. Influenza may, less often, be spread when a person touches a surface that has flu viruses on it – a door handle, for instance – and then touches his or her nose or mouth. The time from when a person is exposed to flu virus to when symptoms begin is about one to four days, with an average of about two days.

Does the flu have complications?
Some of the complications caused by flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections as complications from the flu. Those aged 65 years and older and persons of any age with chronic medical conditions are at highest risk for serious complications of flu.

How Do I Protect Myself?
By far, the single best way to prevent the flu is for individuals, especially people at high risk for serious complications from the flu, to get a vaccination each fall.

About the Flu Shot
The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. It contains three influenza viruses. The three vaccine strains - one A (H3N2) virus, one A (H1N1) virus, and one B virus - are representative of the influenza vaccine strains recommended for that year. Viruses for the flu shot are grown in eggs.

Is the Flu Shot Safe for Everyone?
People at high risk for complications of the flu and people in close contact with them (including household members) should get a flu shot. However, people in the following groups should not get flu vaccine before talking with their doctor:

• People who are have a severe allergy to hens' eggs
• People who have had a severe reaction to a flu vaccine in the past
• People who previously developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in the 6 weeks after getting a flu shot

What are the risks from getting a flu shot?
The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. The risk of a flu shot causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. However, a vaccine, like any medicine, may rarely cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it.

What Is FluMist^TM and How Does it Differ From the Flu Shot?
The nasal-spray flu vaccine FluMist^TM (sometimes called LAIV for Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine) is a new flu vaccine that was licensed in 2003. It is different from the other licensed influenza vaccine (also called the "flu shot") because it contains weakened live influenza viruses instead of killed viruses and is administered by nasal spray instead of injection.

The nasal-spray flu vaccine contains three different live (but weakened) influenza viruses. When the viruses are sprayed into the nose, they stimulate the body's immune system to develop protective antibodies that will prevent infection by naturally occurring influenza viruses.

Who can be vaccinated with the nasal-spray flu vaccine?
It is approved ONLY for use in healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49 years.

Who should not be vaccinated with the nasal-spray flu vaccine?

• People less than 5 years of age
• People 50 years of age and over
• People with a medical condition that places them at high risk for complications from influenza, including those with chronic heart or lung disease, such as asthma or reactive airways disease; people with medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney failure; or people with illnesses that weaken the immune system, or who take medications that can weaken the immune system.
• Children or adolescents receiving aspirin
• People with a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder of the nervous system
• Pregnant women
• People with a history of allergy to any of the components of LAIV or to eggs

For information about LAIV or FluMist visit www.flumist.com

What Should I Do if My Child Can't Get Either Flu Vaccine Because of the Vaccine Shortage or an Egg Allergy?
If your child cannot get a flu vaccine, all other family members and caregivers should receive the vaccine as early as possible. Make sure to check with your physician about the use of anti-viral medications if your child develops flu symptoms. You should also follow prevention methods such as regular and through hand washing, keeping your hands away from your mouth, lips and eyes.

Every year from late fall to early spring influenza (the flu) strikes, leaving many bedridden for days and causing missed time from work and school. The flu can also lead to serious complications, especially for those with asthma who are more susceptible to pneumonia and other chronic lung problems.

A single flu shot significantly reduces a person’s chances of getting influenza, yet existing myths and misinformation about vaccination prevent about 90 percent of people with asthma from receiving their influenza vaccine annually. Learn about the facts behind the myths and keep your family healthy this year.

Myth #1: I do not need to get a flu shot because I am not at high risk for influenza.
Fact: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends an annual flu shot for people at high risk for developing serious complications from influenza, including those with chronic lung conditions such as asthma. High-risk groups should be vaccinated beginning in October.

Myth #2: My brother has asthma but I don’t, so I don’t have to get a flu shot.
Fact: The CDC also recommends that family members get a flu shot in October to help reduce the likelihood of spreading the flu virus to those in their household with asthma.

Myth #3: I don’t need to get a flu shot this year because I received one last year.
Fact: Last year’s flu shot will not protect you from this year’s virus. Each year’s vaccine is based on strains of the virus predicted to be prevalent in the upcoming season. The vaccine changes every year to match the prevalent strains, so annual vaccination is necessary.

Myth #4: I will get the flu from the vaccine.
Fact: Despite what some people believe, it is not possible for you to get the flu from a flu shot. The vaccine is made from inactivated, “killed” strains of the virus, which means the vaccine is not infectious.

Myth #5: After November, it’s too late to get a flu shot.
Fact: Since influenza peaks from January through March, a flu shot is still beneficial in December and even later in the season.

You should only avoid vaccination if you have experienced reactions to the vaccine before or if you are allergic to eggs (the viruses used in the vaccine are grown in chicken eggs). Individuals with a fever should wait until their symptoms disappear or consult their physician about getting a flu shot. However, vaccines may be given during minor illnesses with or without fever, particularly among children with mild respiratory tract infections or allergic rhinitis.

The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site. Less common side effects include fever and fatigue. Although immunization will not protect everyone from catching the flu, people who receive a flu shot and then later come down with influenza experience milder complications than those who have not been vaccinated.

For more information about influenza, contact your physician or local public health department. You can also contact the CDC’s National Immunization Hotline at 1-800-232-2522 or www.cdc.gov/nip.

Reprinted from THE MA REPORT newsletter, September 2002.