Pesky germs, be gone!
So you didn't get your company flu shot this year, and your octogenarian mother missed out, too. Don't panic. About 20 million doses of the vaccine will be shipped over the next month and a half, so many of the people who are at highest risk are likely to get the vaccine.
But the most reassuring fact to remember is that most people, even those who don't get vaccinated, will not get the flu, says Brandon Koretz, a geriatrician at UCLA Medical Center. Because people are panicking over the shortage, Koretz is as worried about his patients' mental health as their physical well-being. "This issue has been so whipped up, people are losing sleep over it," he says.
Whether you ultimately receive a shot or not, now is the moment to practice some low-tech techniques for keeping flu germs at bay. Wash your hands well and often, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Get plenty of rest, eat healthful food, and don't hang around sick people. If you do get the flu, stay home and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze to prevent spreading the disease. Another option in the case of flu is to take one of the four prescription antiviral medications that have been approved to treat it, though they are effective only if started when symptoms--fever, aching muscles, fatigue, and cough--first appear and reduce illness by an average of just one day. However, the medications do have some risks: None are approved for children under a year old, some are not approved for children at all, and some may complicate other medical problems.
Most people will recover from the flu within a week, especially if they get plenty of rest. However, if you have a high fever, shaking or dizziness, shortness of breath, or chest pain, or cough up thick mucus, be sure to seek medical help. Any of these symptoms, which sometimes appear even after you start to feel better, could be a sign of pneumonia or another serious complication. Seniors need to be especially vigilant about watching for symptoms of the disease and calling the doctor early, because the vast majority of flu deaths occur in this age group. Flu can exacerbate health problems such as heart disease and lead to secondary infections, including pneumonia. There is a vaccine, called the pneumococcal vaccine, for one strain of pneumonia that can be caused by flu, and people over 65 are encouraged to get it. People who live or work in nursing homes are among those at highest risk, because an outbreak in that setting could cause multiple deaths.
Toddlers. For the first time this year, the CDC recommends vaccinating children between the ages of 6 and 23 months, mainly because many young children who come down with the flu need to be hospitalized. Because the children's vaccine is not made by Chiron, there is less of a shortage, though increased demand this year has strained supplies in some areas. Parents should consider vaccinating their toddlers, especially if they are in day care or other places with a group of children, and should watch carefully for symptoms.
Another high-priority group for vaccination is people who care for those who might become seriously ill with flu, including healthcare workers, those who work with the elderly, and those with children less than 6 months old. These people are candidates for the FluMist vaccine, a nasal spray that contains a weakened live flu virus. It can be given to people ages 5 through 49, unless they are around those with fragile immune systems. In addition, caregivers should follow the common-sense precautions and, when symptoms appear, use antiviral medications, which can help stop the spread of flu. -Elizabeth Querna
This story appears in the November 1, 2004 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.
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