OCTOBER 2004
Flu and Cough Campaign Month

Facts about the Flu

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza (the flu) strikes 5-20% of the population each year. Certain people are at risk of serious complications and death from the flu. Young children, especially those with asthma, people with heart, lung and kidney conditions, and people 65 and over are more likely to have complications from flu that can lead to pneumonia, hospitalizations and even death. Recent data shows that annually more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu complications. Pneumonia and influenza are the seventh leading cause of death among all Americans, resulting in over 62,000 deaths in 2001. The flu vaccine minimizes the dangerous consequences of influenza including pneumonia.

Preventing the Flu: Get a Flu Vaccine

The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine each fall. There are two types of vaccines:

The "flu shot" -- an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions. The nasal-spray flu vaccine -- a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for "Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine"). LAIV is approved for use in healthy people 5 years to 49 years of age who are not pregnant.

About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection develop in the body.

Cover Your Cough

How can you stop the spread of serious respiratory illnesses like influenza? To stop the spread of germs, simple respiratory and hand hygiene will help. Follow these simple steps!
To help stop the spread of germs:

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. Put your used tissue in the wastebasket.

Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing:

Wash with soap and water. or Clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner.

When to Get Vaccinated

October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, but you can still get vaccinated in December and later. Flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Anyone who wants to reduce his or her chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, certain people should get vaccinated each year either because they are at high risk of having serious flu complications or because they are in close contact with someone who is at high risk for serious complications and they could make them sick. To get full details about who should and should not get vaccinated each year visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/flu

Where To Get The Flu Shot

To find out where you can obtain flu shots in your area, visit the American Lung Association Flu Shot Locator (http://www.findaflushot.com/lungusa/) website.