It’s Not Too Late To Vaccinate!

Overview What is the flu? Signs and symptoms of the flu. How the flu spreads. How to prevent the flu. Risks of vaccination. Risks of not getting vaccinated.

What is the Flu? Defined as highly contagious, acute viral respiratory infection that can occur in people in all age groups. A virus is different from bacteria: it cannot be treated with antibiotics. The flu just has to run its course.

What is the Flu?? Also known as influenza. It can be a mild to severe illness and can lead to death. In the USA 5% to 20% of people get the flu every year. About 200,000 are hospitalized a year. About 36,000 die from the flu a year.

Signs and Symptoms Fever Cough Sore throat Headache Chills Muscle aches Fatigue

How Long Can the Flu Last?? Symptoms such as a fever, sore throat, headache, runny nose, loss of appetite can last 3 to 7 days. Cough and fatigue can last up to 2 weeks.

Cold vs. Flu Cold Flu Milder than flu Stuffy nose Runny nose Headache Sore throat Cough Flu Worse than the common cold Fever Body aches Extreme tiredness Dry cough Headache Death

How Does it Spread? Coughing Sneezing Kissing Household objects Poor hand hygiene

Spreading the Flu In School Water fountains Sharing drinks Kissing Close contact with others Sharing cigarettes Locker rooms

Bringing Home the Flu If you catch the flu in school, you can bring it home to your family. Your family can spread to others: coworkers, other families, people at the grocery store, etc.

Flu Prevention Cover mouth when coughing. Cough into your sleeve Wash hands frequently. Use tissues when sneezing. Throw used tissues in the trash. Avoid large crowds during fall and winter months. Stay home when you are sick

But the best way to prevent the flu is…….

THE FLU VACCINE!!

When Should I Get The Flu Vaccine? Flu season runs from November to May. As soon as it is available, usually in the fall, you can go at any time to receive it. Getting vaccinated in December is still beneficial.

How Often Should You Get the Flu Vaccine? Only need vaccinated once a year. It is most beneficial at the beginning of the flu season. Vaccination should be repeated every year due to changes of the flu virus.

Who Should Get Vaccinated? New Recommendation Everyone 6 months and older Date of implementation 2010/2011 flu season February 24, 2010 CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted for “universal” flu vaccination in the U.S.

Two Ways to Vaccinate! Injection Nasal Spray

Injection The “flu shot” is an inactivated vaccine, which means it contains a killed virus. It is given with a needle. Injection site is in the upper arm.

Discomforts Associated with Injection Mild problems include: Redness and soreness at injection site. Slight fever and cough. Usually lasts 1-2 days Take Tylenol for discomfort.

Nasal Spray A vaccine administered through the nose. Ages 2 - 49 Cannot receive if pregnant. It is a live virus vaccine called “FluMist.”

Risk Factors Associated With Both Vaccines Allergic reactions are rare, and usually occur within minutes to hours. These include difficulty breathing, hoarseness, hives, paleness, weakness, rapid heart beat or dizziness. Seek medical attention immediately Please report any known allergies especially eggs to your health care provider prior to getting vaccinated with flu vaccine.

Risks if NOT Vaccinated The flu can develop into life threatening illnesses such as pneumonia. Death can occur in some cases.

Where To Get The Flu Vaccine Allegheny County Health Department Health Care Provider Health Clinics Health Fairs Local Pharmacies Urgent Care Centers School Vaccination Clinics Some supermarkets & department stores

How Can I Learn More? Contact the Centers for Disease Control @ www.cdc.gov/flu or 1-800-CDC-INFO Contact the Allegheny County health Department @ www.achd.net or 412-687-ACHD Your health care provider can also answer any questions you have. Talk to your school nurse.

Don’t let the flu get you down. Get Vaccinated. Stay Healthy. Have fun!!

Conclusion The flu is a highly infectious, contagious viral disease. The benefits of getting the flu vaccine are preventing serious illness, missing school and activities, hospitalization and possibly death.

Works Cited www.cdc.gov/flu Ignatavicius, D., Medical Surgical Nursing Patient Centered Collaborative Care. Saunders: St. Louis. 2010. pgs. 658-659. Donnelly, G (2004).Nosing into flu season. Nursing2004, 49-50. Ransom, J. (2009).School-lcated influenza vaccination clinics: Local heath department perspectives. Journal of School Nursing, 25(1), 13-17. Whelon, J. & Corry, M. (2006). On guard against influenza. WIN, 14(9), 29-31.

Created by Students of UPMC Mercy Hospital School of Nursing Laura Caimi Candice Dickson Nicole Florentine Jennifer Lee Lisa Levin Eric Medina Melony Murray Instructor Mrs. Patricia Robinson, RN, MN 1400 Locust Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 with contributions from the Allegheny County Immunization Coalition