This year’s flu was particularly bad, and affected many Americans. In fact, on an average flu year, 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 die as a result of this sickness. Here is some good news, however: this year’s flu is winding down and is almost over entirely.
Most people think the flu only lasts a few days, maybe a week, and they are correct. For some people, however, it can last much longer and may develop into something worse. Some flu’s if left untreated, can turn into pneumonia or other diseases like sinus or ear infections. More than 5,000 people were sick enough to be hospitalized, and their recovery was a slow and painful one.
Because this year’s flu was particularly bad, we need to take the proper precautions in order to prevent it for next year. For instance, getting the flu shot can dramatically reduce the chances of becoming sick. It’s not a guarantee that you will not get sick, but it decreases the chances of it much less if you do it right. In order to effectively prevent illness, it’s good to get the flu shot about two weeks before the actual season starts (September or early October), so that the vaccine has time to start working properly.
The flu shot is definitely worth trying. It is simply a little injection in the muscle of the arm designed to protect your body against sickness. There may be some side effects, but none worse than what the flu would bring. Side effects will feel much like a common cold, such as a runny nose, sore throat, and cough, but most people would agree that those side effects feel better than a long week of feeling achy and nauseous.
For those of you who hate shots and can’t stand needles, there is an easy solution for it. A nasal spray named FluMist was recently licensed to give to people ages 2 to 49. It is said to work just as well as the flu shot counterpart, but the subject may experience more flu-like symptoms.
There is also a high dose version of the flu that is designed for the elderly, 65 and older, that is supposed to be more successful in preventing the flu. It is important to keep the elderly from getting the flu because they can be potentially hospitalized or in extreme events, terminally ill.
Twenty percent of Americans get the flu each year and when you think about it, that’s a lot of people. Be safe from the flu by taking the proper precautions to prevent it from catching you.