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The Flu Is Worse Than Ever This Year — Get Vaccinated Now!
The flu is back with a vengeance this year! Your best defense is to get your flu shot as soon as you can.
The New York Times puts it in perspective: “Flu season has arrived early this year in New York City, with cases climbing dramatically during the month.”
“People have forgotten about the flu and how sick they can get. Especially for people who are pregnant, babies, and the elderly,” says Chi Doan Huynh, MD, Internist and Infectious Disease Specialist at Ryan Health | West 97th Street. “Cases are still rising. And with the holidays and colder weather here, it’s just going to get worse.”
The flu is a significant disease. Symptoms can include a high fever and chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, fatigue, and body aches. It is much more severe than a cold, and symptoms appear quickly. Most people with the flu can be bedridden for several days, even if they are generally healthy.
"With the flu, you have a higher chance of progression to pneumonia or more severe disease such as sepsis," Dr Huynh says. "Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to an infection, such as the flu, and can impact any organ in your body. Complications of the flu, such as pneumonia and sepsis, require immediate medical attention."
The flu vaccine can help you avoid the most severe symptoms of the flu. As with any vaccine, it may not prevent you from getting the flu, but it will prevent the virus from progressing to a more serious state. If you get the flu, your symptoms will be milder than without it, and recovery will be faster.
Even though flu season is in full swing, it is not too late to get your flu shot.
“Flu season lasts until early spring, and the vaccine will work against the flu strain in circulation all year,” Dr. Huyhn says.
Can I Get the Flu from the Vaccine?
Dr. Huyhn also wants to bust a common myth: the flu vaccine does not give you the flu.
“There is no live virus in the vaccine, so you cannot get the flu from the shot,” she says. “Some people have a slight reaction — low-grade fever or aches — but that is your body creating the immunity to the flu virus. That’s how your immune system knows how to fight the virus if you’re infected. The vaccine is working as intended to protect you.”
What Do I Do If I Get the Flu?
Whether or not you’ve been vaccinated, if you get the flu, you need to take care of yourself.
“Your body will be dehydrated, so you need to drink plenty of water,” Dr. Huynh says. “Better yet, drink fluids with electrolytes, which are minerals that replenish nourishment. Think about Gatorade or Pedialyte.
“Take Tylenol or ibuprofen to bring down your muscle aches and fever,” she continues. “Stay in bed and get your rest. Don’t try to do too much while you recuperate.”
Importantly, if you have a persistent fever, chest pains, or shortness of breath, get to a doctor immediately. That means your symptoms have progressed to something more serious.
If you feel symptoms coming on, Tamiflu is a prescription that can help you avoid a full onset. But you must take it within the first 48 hours of feeling flu symptoms. The medication blocks the replication of the flu virus within that timeframe.
“The flu doesn’t discriminate. Anyone
can get it, at any time,” Dr. Huyhn says. “The flu shot will protect you and
everyone around you. It’s safe, and a smart investment in your health.”