Influenza: What You Should Know
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Health Tip of the Week It's about that time to start thinking about influenza (the flu) — or perhaps to adjust your thinking. While everyone may be familiar with the influenza virus and how lousy it feels to be in bed with the flu, there are some myths about influenza and the influenza vaccine that persist year after year. Here are the most common misconceptions:
Side effects from the shot version may include soreness at the site of injection, low-grade fever, headache or muscle aches. For those who get the nasal spray, side effects may include mild congestion, runny nose, sore throat or cough. These symptoms rarely last longer than a few hours. You can choose the nasal spray instead of the shot if you are a healthy person aged 2 to 49, and, in fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently expressed a preference for healthy children between 2 and 8 years of age to get the nasal spray version when it is available. However, vaccination should not be delayed to wait for the nasal spray version. It is still most important to be immunized in advance of influenza season.
Remember that the flu is more dangerous to your child than the average cold, since it can lead to more serious conditions such as pneumonia or other bacterial infections. Be sure to make an appointment to have yourself and your children vaccinated for the flu. All children 6 months and older are recommended to receive the flu vaccine.
Visit the Vaccine Education Center website for more information about influenza and the influenza vaccine.
Reviewed by: Paul A. Offit
Date: September 2014
Contributed by: Paul A. Offit, MD
Categories: Weekly Health Tips, Flu, Influenza