What is the Flu?
The “flu”, or influenza is caused by a virus. And it can make you sick for weeks.
Patients typically experience high fevers, extreme muscle aches, headaches, cough and fatigue.
From November to April, all across the United States, as many as 90 million people come down with the flu each year.
How is influenza spread?
• Someone who is infected with influenza coughs or sneezes, releasing tiny influenza virus particles into the air or on your hands. (By the way, you may not even feel sick yet when you are contagious.)
• Another person breathes in the Virus or gets it on their hands (and touches their nose or mouth).
• The Influenza Virus attaches to cells in the nose, throat, and lungs.
• The Virus multiplies and is again spread from person to person.
• Virus particles on surfaces like doorknobs, elevator buttons, telephones and toys can cause infection if someone gets influenza virus on their hands and then touches their nose, mouth, or eyes.
Influenza virus is difficult to control because it is not limited to human populations. Various strains of the virus can infect pigs, horses, and birds (including chickens). Sometimes, a pig or chicken can even become infected with more than one strain of influenza. When that happens, the viruses may "share" genetic information, creating a whole new influenza strain.
Click here for CDC Recommendations including who should not be vaccinated.