Why should I get the flu vaccine

1
Why should I get the flu vaccine?
2
Did you know?

• 36,000 people die from flu-related complications
  each year
• More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from
  flu complications
• Many of these people are 65 years and older AND
  children less than 2 years old
• American Indian/Alaska Native people are 1.7
  times more likely to die from pneumonia and
  influenza than U.S. Whites1

1. 2000-2001, Trends in Indian Health
3
What is the flu?

• An infection of the nose, throat, and lungs that
  is caused by influenza virus
• Most people with the flu have a headache, a sore
  throat and a runny or stuffy nose
• Most people are sick for about a week, but then
  feel better
• Some people (especially young children, pregnant
  women, older people, and people with chronic
  health problems) can get very sick and some can
  die

4
How does the flu spread?

• Mainly from person to person through coughing or
  sneezing of people with the flu
• By touching something with flu viruses on it and
  then touching your mouth or nose
• You can pass on the flu to someone else before
  you know you are sick

5
You can spread the flu 1-2 days before you start
to feel sick and up to 4-5 days after you become
sick
6
What can I do?

• Protect yourself, your family and your patients!
• Get vaccinated every year
• You can get vaccinated ANYTIME during the flu
  season (October to May)
• In most years, influenza illnesses peak in
  February.
• It takes 2 weeks after receiving the vaccine for
  it to fully protect you
• A flu vaccine is the best way to protect against
  the flu

7
Why do I need to get a flu vaccine every year?

• Flu viruses change from year to year. That is why
  each year a new influenza vaccine is made.
• The vaccine made to protect you from flu viruses
  circulating last year may not protect against the
  newer viruses.
• Also, the protection you get from the flu vaccine
  declines over time. The vaccine you received the
  year before may not protect you, even if the
  viruses are the same.

8
Is the vaccine safe?

• YES
• You cannot get the flu from the vaccine
• Allergic reactions are RARE
• Persons with chronic illnesses CAN and SHOULD
  receive the flu vaccine
• Pregnant women CAN and SHOULD receive the flu
  vaccine

9
I am very healthy and did not get the flu last
year. Can I still catch the flu?

• YES
• Some people may not have any flu like symptoms
  but can still spread the flu to others
• Flu viruses change year to year, so you may not
  have protection against the new flu viruses.

10
I am afraid of needles. Is there any other
vaccine I can take?

• YES
• A nasal spray is available for healthy people
  2-49 years of age
• Check with your health care provider and see if
  you can get this vaccine
• Nasal spray is not available for pregnant women
• A healthy person is someone who does not have a
  medical condition that may lead to influenza
  complications. Check with your health care
  provider.

11
What are the side effects from a flu shot?

• The most common side effect from a flu shot is a
  sore arm
• Serious reactions are very rare
• The nasal mist flu vaccine might cause nasal
  congestion, runny nose, sore throat and cough
• YOU CANNOT GET THE FLU FROM THE FLU VACCINE
• Check with your health care provider and
  see if you can get this
• vaccine

12
I work in a health care facility, but I dont see
patients. Do I still need to get a flu vaccine?

• YES
• All personnel who work in a health care facility
  should be vaccinated. This includes medical
  records staff, housekeeping staff,
  administrators, etc.
• Even if you dont see patients, you share the
  same air, and can expose other people to the flu
  virus or catch the flu virus from other people.

13
Besides health care personnel, who should get the
flu vaccine?

• Anyone who wants to protect themselves and their
  families from influenza
• Adults and children with conditions like asthma,
  diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease
• Children 6 months 18 years
• Adults 50 years and older
• Women who are pregnant or may be pregnant during
  the flu season
• Women who are breastfeeding
• People in contact with young children and older
  adults

14
Thank You

• Enter Employee Health Nurse and/or Infection
  Control Coordinator contact information here
• For more information
• Department of Health and Human Services
  influenza Toolkit
• www.hhs.gov/ophs/programs/initiatives/vacctoolkit
  /index.html