Flu FAQs | Dr. Sam

Q. When is the flu contagious?

A. The flu virus becomes contagious one day before you feel sick. The virus enters through your nose, throat, or lungs from the air. It then begins to multiply, usually causing symptoms within a day or two.

Adults can continue to infect others for several more days.

Children, on the other hand, can pass the virus on for more than a week. You can contract the flu if you touch a surface that has the flu virus on it and then touch your nose or mouth.

Q. Why and when should I get a flu vaccine?

A. The flu virus can change from year to year, and the protection you get from a flu vaccine declines over time. That's why you need a flu vaccination once a year, every year.

The best time to get vaccinated is in October or November, at the start of the flu season. However, since flu season often does not peak until December or later, you can still benefit from getting the flu vaccine after November.

Just remember it takes approximately two weeks for your body to build up the antibodies needed to protect you from the flu. No vaccine is 100 percent effective. You may still get the flu, but you're likely to be far less sick.

Q. Who should get the flu vaccine?

A. The CDC identifies the following priority groups for flu vaccinations:

Adults 65 years and older
All children, ages 6 months to 23 months
Persons aged 2-64 with chronic medical conditions
All women who are pregnant during flu season
Residents of nursing homes and long term care facilities
Children 6 months to 18 years of age who are on long-term aspirin therapy. (If given aspirin while they have influenza, they are at risk of Reye syndrome)
Health care workers involved in direct patient care
Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children aged 6 months or less

Q. What should I watch out for?

A. Cautions to observe include:

Get an annual vaccination, because the flu virus can change from year to year, and the protection you get from a flu vaccine declines over time.
Ask your doctor if, when, and where your family should be vaccinated. Even if you plan to get vaccinated in a public program such as at a government health facility or program offered at a pharmacy, call your doctor's office to be sure that you are going to a legitimate agency and getting the right vaccine for you and your family.
Check the credentials of the group giving the vaccine. Some illegal operations intercepted by police and federal agencies have given out ineffective fluids rather than vaccines to unsuspecting individuals.
Insist on a thimerosal-free vaccine, especially for children.
Choose another location if the place where you will be vaccinated looks unclean.

Q. Should I get the flu shot or the nasal spray?

A. The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine (containing a killed virus) while the nasal-spray flu vaccine (sometimes called LAIV for live attenuated influenza vaccine) contains a weakened live virus. Since the flu shot is made from the killed influenza virus, it can't give you the flu.

You could have side effects from the flu shot, however. These might include a sore arm, fever, and body aches, but they'll last for only a day or so and will be much milder than flu symptoms.

Because the nasal-spray flu vaccine contains a weakened live virus, it is approved for use only with healthy people between 5 and 49 years.

The CDC does not recommend the nasal spray for people:

With chronic illnesses
With weakened immune systems
Who are pregnant
Who are on long-term aspirin therapy (children or adolescents)
Who have close contact with those with a severely weakened immune system

Q. Can I take antibiotics instead of a flu vaccine?

A. Your doctor might recommend an antibiotic for bacterial infections caused by the flu, but antibiotics won't kill the flu itself - because flu is caused by a virus. Some anti-viral drugs can reduce the length of time you have the flu, but they don't cure it.

A few of these drugs have been approved for preventing the flu, but the flu vaccine is usually the best choice.

While it is FDA-approved, Tamiflu, an oral anti-viral drug is not approved for use in children under age 18. For adults, studies show a slight reduction in the time it takes to reduce flu symptoms and feel better. Reported side effects of Tamiflu are nausea, vomiting, bronchitis, trouble sleeping, and dizziness. Tamiflu does not prevent the flu or keep you from transmitting it to others.

There may be dangers associated with anti-virals, so discuss possible risks with your doctor.

Q. Do I need a pneumonia shot, too?

A. Many people at high risk for the flu are also at high risk for pneumococcal disease which can cause serious bacterial infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, and blood or ear infections. Ask your doctor whether you should receive a pneumonia shot in addition to the flu vaccine.

Unlike the flu vaccine, the pneumonia shot is usually a one-time vaccination you can receive anytime of the year. Some people may need a booster shot as well. If you've already had a pneumonia shot, ask your doctor whether you'll need a booster as added protection against pneumococcal disease.

Q. How can I protect myself against other viruses and infections?

A. A flu vaccine won't protect you against colds and flu-like viruses that you and your family are exposed to all year long.

So what can you do to keep all those "bugs" at bay? Hand-washing, when done correctly, is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Here's the right way to wash your hands:

Wet your hands with warm running water, add soap, and then rub your hands together for at least 10 seconds, away from the water.
Lather the fronts and backs of your hands, and wash between the fingers and under the nails.
Then rinse well under running water - not in a basin.
Dry your hands thoroughly with a clean towel or use a disposable towel.

Teach your children the correct hand-washing technique, and encourage others to wash their hands well - especially people who care for children or the sick, and those who prepare food.

Remind them that wearing gloves does not take away the need for hand-washing.
If no soap is available, an antibacterial sanitizer will do. When rubbed into the hands for 15-30 seconds, most hand sanitizers kill virtually all germs.

Additional Resouces:

For more information about preventing and treating influenza, visit www.cdc.gov/flu