Flu Season: Letter To The Editor

October 4, 2007--Meeker, Colorado

Dear Editor,

I want to remind everyone that flu season will soon be upon us and now is the time to prepare. The flu is caused by a virus, which spreads through the air, and infects the airway – nose, throat and lungs. About 10-20% of people in America get the flu each year, resulting in about 130,000 hospital visits and around 20,000 deaths. A typical infection causes runny or stuffy nose, headaches, fevers and fatigue. Symptoms can range from mild to fatal. Typically it takes about a week or two for the illness to run its course. Some people have a greater risk of infection, including the very young and elderly, people with a chronic illness, or those who are exposed to a lot of people with a potential for the illness. Your best bet is to never get the illness. The way to do this is to get immunized. There are two ways of immunization. The first is the most common, safest and cheapest – the flu shot. There is also a nasal spray for those who are needle phobic. (The nasal spray is more expensive and potentially more risky because it is a weakened virus rather than a killed virus like the shot.)

Every year I hear people say that they got sick from the immunization. That is not possible. From the immunization you could experience a little soreness at the injection site, a little fever, fatigue or muscle aches. This, however, is not the flu. Those that opt for the nasal spray might get minor symptoms for a couple days. There are some possible adverse affects that are rare. Make sure that you discuss these with your physician before getting the shot. The next question is always “Can I still get the flu?” The answer is “Yes”. If you do, however, it tends to be a much milder case that does not last as long. If you are unfortunate enough to get the flu, there are a few medicines that can be taken to decrease the severity and duration of the illness. They have to be started very quickly after the onset of symptoms, so you should not delay seeing your doctor. In order to make it through the flu season the healthiest you can be, now is the time to start getting your immunizations. Most medical clinics and health departments offer these at little cost to the public.

Branch Bullard, M.D.

Meeker Family Health Center