Influenza (the flu) can be a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Anyone can get sick from the flu. National Influenza Vaccination Week provides an important opportunity for our community to tell people how important it is to get an annual flu shot. Getting vaccinated is the single best way for people to protect not only themselves against flu, but their loved ones as well.
Much of the U.S. population is at increased risk from serious flu complications, either because of their age or because they have a medical condition like asthma, diabetes (type 1 and 2), or heart conditions; or because they are pregnant. For example, more than 30 percent of people 50 through 64 years of age have one or more chronic medical conditions that put them at increased risk of serious complications from flu. The flu vaccination can help protect you or people you know who are at greater risk of getting seriously ill from flu (especially infants younger than 6 months old who are too young to get vaccinated).
Symptoms of the flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu and have no symptoms at all, or have only respiratory symptoms without a fever. The flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick from flu, may make your illness milder if you do get sick, and reduces the risk of more serious flu outcomes, like hospitalizations and deaths.
In the United States, thousands of healthy adults and children see a doctor or are hospitalized from flu complications each year. Flu vaccination can help protect you and your family from the flu and its complications. For more information on influenza and the vaccination, please visit the CDC's website.