Newswise — Flu season gets underway this week and will not go away until the end of March next year. There are always many questions surrounding flu season. Does the flu shot give you the flu? Can I contract the "bird" flu? What is the difference between the flu and a cold? Dr. Eric Westerman, an infectious disease expert with The Methodist Hospital in Houston, is here to answer all of these questions and help you avoid the flu this season.
Q: Can I get the flu from getting a flu shot?
A: It is impossible to get the flu from getting a flu shot. The vaccine doesn't contain a live virus, so you cannot get the flu. However, the vaccine does take about two weeks to kick in, so during that time it is possible that you could come down with the flu, but you are not going to get sick from getting the shot. This is one myth that should be put to rest because it's simply not true. The flu shot saves lives.
Q: How do I know if I have the flu or just the common cold?
A: When you have the flu you will have a high fever, cough and severe muscle aches for anywhere from three to five days. If you have vomiting, diarrhea, upper respiratory congestion, and the sniffles, you most likely just have a cold. Many people think when they get sick during flu season that they have the flu and unnecessarily crowd emergency rooms, which causes delays for people whoneed greater attention.
Q: What groups of people are at the highest risk of contracting the flu?
A: The elderly and people with heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS are all in the high risk category for contracting the flu. More than 200,000 people end up in the hospital and more than 35,000 people die from the flu each year. The sad part is that the illness is totally preventable. All you have to do is get a flu shot once a year.
Q: How does the influenza spread?
A: The flu virus is spread mainly from person-to-person when the infected person coughs or sneezes. However, you can also catch it by touching something with flu virus on it and then putting your hand to your nose or mouth. This is why it is especially important to practice good hand hygiene during flu season.
Q: Are we at risk for contracting the so-called "bird flu" in the United States?
A: The good news is that the "bird" flu is not on this continent, and is really nothing humans have to worry about. The only people who would need to be concerned would be bird handlers who are exposed to bird saliva or feces. Even if these people contract "bird" flu, it is not transmissible from human to human, so there is no danger of spreading the disease throughout the community.
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