Health eMinutes

The Importance of Flu Shots

The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccination each fall. Every year in the U.S., five to twenty percent of the population gets the flu, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from its complications and about 36,000 people die from it.

Elderly people, young children, and people with certain health conditions are at high risk for serious flu complications. The most common symptoms are high fever, headache, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, extreme tiredness, sore throat and dry cough.

Flu viruses spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. They usually spread from person to person, although people can become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Also, you can pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

To help reduce the likelihood of catching the flu or spreading it to others, keep these tips in mind:

  • Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have a tissue, cough into your elbow.
  • Wash your hands frequently to help protect yourself from germs.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth – germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
  • Get vaccinated.