Volume 14, Number 6: November 2006
Flu Vaccination Guidelines
Fall is the best time to be vaccinated against influenza, a highly contagious respiratory disease that is most active in January and following months. CHP urges you to be prepared.
- Flu Symptoms: The flu virus causes mild to severe illness but can be fatal to people in high-risk groups (see below). Symptoms include fever (usually high), headache, extreme fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, muscle aches, and possibly intestinal upset.
- Prevention: Vaccination is the best protection. Everyone who wants to avoid flu should be vaccinated. The virus may be spread before symptoms appear. To avoid contagion, wash your hands frequently and do not touch your mouth or nose.
- High Risk Groups: High-risk groups are children 6-59 months, people 50 and older, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions, people in nursing homes and long-term care, and all who live with or care for these groups. Family and caregivers for children under 6 months should also get the vaccine.
- Exceptions to Vaccination: Those who should not be vaccinated without consulting a physician include people who are severely allergic to eggs; who had past severe reactions to the vaccine; who developed Guillain-Barr syndrome within 6 weeks of a past vaccination; who have an illness with a fever (wait until symptoms lessen).
- Vaccine Supply: At press time, there have been no announcements of flu vaccine shortages; however, such notices can come without much warning. If shortages were to occur, physicians would follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines, vaccinating high-risk groups first.