Season of the flu! Nurse gives a flu shot to a patient.(Photo: Getty Images)

The last flu season was brutal.

Medical experts say it's too early to predict the severity of this flu season.

But the flu in Arizona is currently increasing and 290 cases have been reported throughout the state so far.

Although the number of cases reported so far for this season is lower than it was in 2017, it is also 66% higher than a normal flu season, the most recent influenza outbreak. . data from the Arizona Department of Health Services says.

The flu is like a cold, but worse, and can make you sick and weak for two weeks.

Contagious respiratory infection usually causes high fever, body aches and exhaustion. Influenza viruses can wreak havoc on the immune system and make people vulnerable to other diseases such as pneumonia.

While the cold usually occurs gradually, the flu begins more abruptly. It is rare to have fever and headaches accompanied by a cold, although common with the flu.

Here are five things to know about flu and safety:

Get vaccinated against the flu. (This will not give you the flu.)

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recommends that all persons six months of age and older, including pregnant women, receive the vaccine. Yet most adults in Arizona were not vaccinated against the flu last season, says the Arizona Partnership for Immunization.

If you have questions about the flu vaccine or the one that's right for you, talk to your doctor or health care provider, said officials from the Maricopa County Public Health Department.

The flu usually strikes during the colder months of the year, as warm temperatures can prevent its spread. But it's not too late to get vaccinated, said Dr. Eric Katz, president of the emergency department at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix. The flu in Arizona usually hits harder in January and February, he said.

Since it takes about two weeks for the influenza vaccine to take effect, there is still time to protect yourself before the December holidays.

"Holidays are when you spend time with family and friends. Do not be the person who causes the flu during family reunions. Get vaccinated against the flu, "said Debbie McCune Davis, Executive Director of the Executive Director of the Arizona Partnership for Immunization (TAPI).

Katz said that it was frustrating to hear patients say that they were not getting flu shots because they had received it once and that it was making them ill. The flu vaccine will not make you sick, he said.

Some patients may believe that they have caught the flu after being vaccinated, but in reality they have caught a cold. And the flu shot injection is made with dead (inactivated) viruses and so is not infectious.

"When a doctor talks about" flu "and that a patient is talking about" flu, "he often talks about two different things," Katz said. "When a doctor talks about" flu, "he is talking about a specific virus that causes a very serious respiratory infection.When patients talk about the flu, they often talk about a cold or a cold. 39, a cold. "

Some people have an arm ache for a few days after being vaccinated against the flu and may feel tired or uncomfortable. It is your body that builds its strength to protect you from the real flu, said TAPI officials.

For people who may not want a needle, the FluMist nasal spray vaccine is an option, although the American Academy of Pediatrics prefers that children receive the vaccine this year, said McCune Davis.

FluMist is generally reserved for people under 49 who do not have other immunocompromised diseases and can not be used by pregnant women, according to Joan Ivaska, Senior Director of Infection Control at Banner Health.

FluMist contains weakened influenza viruses and can not cause the flu, says the CDC.

This does not mean that people who get the flu shot are 100% protected against the flu. They are not. Katz, for example, was vaccinated against the flu last season and contracted the flu in early April. However, he is getting the flu shot every year, he is still surrounded by flu patients, and last season's illness was only the first or second time that he was suffering from the flu, has he declared.

"I have received the flu shot, the flu and I still think it's a good idea to get it," he said.

If you have insurance, your flu shot is probably free.

Influenza vaccines and other vaccines must be covered by your health insurance without charging any co-payments or co-insurance, said the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Check with your insurance company to find out if you need to go to a specific facility to receive the vaccine. Some insurance plans cover only vaccines given by your doctor or in a limited number of places.

McCune Davis from TAPI advises to check with your local pharmacy.

"Influenza vaccines are easier than ever to find and are covered by most insurance or offered by some clinics at a reduced cost," she said.

TO CLOSE

Dr. Devin Minior from Banner Urgent Care talks about influenza and its symptoms, prevention, and tips on what to do if you contract.
Tom Tingle / azcentral.com

Influenza vaccination rates in Arizona are historically low between 18 and 49 years old: just 26.6% of people in this age group were vaccinated against influenza last season. According to flu case data, last season and this season so far, it's the age group most affected by the flu, said McCune Davis of TAPI.

"This group can easily share the flu with babies and grandparents who have the most serious complications of the flu," she said. "The annual flu shot gives you the best protection against the flu each season, and when you get the flu shot, you protect yourself and keep the flu from spreading to other people – that's all." what we call community immunity. "

TAPI has a list of Arizona-specific information on where to get vaccines at http://www.whyimmunize.org/where-to-go-for-your-shots/

Other sources for finding influenza vaccines include the HealthMap vaccine finder at https://vaccinefinder.org/. And the CDC has a flu vaccine research tool on its influenza page.

Children from six months to 18 years old can be vaccinated free of charge by the Maricopa County Public Health Department. For more information, call the county at 602-506-6767.

Otherwise, healthy children can die of the flu and actually die from this disease.

Every year, children die as a result of the flu. In the United States, 185 children, including five in Arizona, recorded a record number of deaths in the past season.

Most children who died of the flu last season had not been vaccinated against the flu, the CDC said.

Emergency signs of influenza in children:

  • Rapid breathing
  • Bluish or gray skin
  • Do not wake up or interact
  • Severe or persistent vomiting
  • Do not drink enough liquids

The record of infant flu deaths recorded during a regular influenza season was 171 for the 2012-2013 season. During the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic (irregular influenza season), 358 pediatric influenza deaths were reported to the CDC between April 15, 2009 and October 2, 2010.

Children who die of the flu are often healthy. Some of the parents who lost their children to the flu began to advocate with the national non-profit group Family Fighting Grif, which works to educate the community that the flu is serious and can cost the family. life to a child.

TO CLOSE

In a new study, high-dose influenza vaccines could prevent post-influenza deaths more effectively than the standard dose in the elderly.
Wochit

Know when to see a doctor.

With rest and lots of clear fluids, most of us will heal from the flu at home. Just be sure to keep the liquids to a minimum and that your breathing is normal.

"There is not a lot of treatment for the flu once it's affected," Katz said. "This is not a good use of the emergency department with few exceptions.As long as they are able to contain liquids, they are not very necessary and are best served at the pharmacy. such as decongestants, Tylenol, Motrin, that kind of thing. "

Antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu can make a difference in the severity of the flu, but only in the first 48 to 72 hours. And Katz is not entirely certain that Tamiflu works.

"People are coming (to the emergency department) and want to feel better, but in fact, everything you do at that time is treating the symptoms," he said.

People over 65 with underlying respiratory problems are at higher risk of complications and a more troubling population for influenza, he said.

In addition, healthy people not suffering from chronic illnesses may suffer from complications such as pneumonia, dehydration, ear infections or sinuses requiring additional medical treatment, say officials from the Department of Health Services from Arizona.

Emergency signs of influenza in adults:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Pain or pressure in the chest
  • Confusion
  • Sudden vertigo
  • Severe or persistent vomiting

Wash your hands often with soap and water.

The flu is spread by sneezing or coughing an infected person. Experts also believe that you can get the flu by touching a surface that contains flu germs and then touching your mouth or nose.

Besides hand washing, you can also prevent the flu by covering your cough with your elbow, sleeve or tissue paper. If you have flu-like symptoms, stay home, do not move, and avoid contact with other people except for medical attention.

Read or share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2018/11/23/get-flu-shot-and-facts-arizonans-need-know-vaccines flu season / 2071934002 /