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Flu Season

Influenza (Flu) Season

Influenza activity is expected to return in the fall. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all people aged 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine. Getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever to protect yourself and the people around you from flu and can also help support healthcare systems should COVID-19 cases rise again. 

CDC also recommends that we "Take 3" actions to fight the flu:

  1. Take time to get a flu vaccine - The CDC urges you to get a flu vaccine. Vaccination is the single most important step you can take to protect yourself and others against infection.
  2. Take every day preventative actions to stop the spread of germs - Cover your cough; practice good hand hygiene using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, avoid close contact with sick people, and if you get sick, limit your contact with others.
  3. Take the flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them - It will reduce the length of illness and reduce the risk of transmitting it to others.

For more about this season's flu virus and guidance for treatment and prevention, go to the CDC Influenza website for the latest information.

Flu Complications

Most people who get influenza will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of the flu, and some of these can be severe.

Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications from flu, while pneumonia is a serious flu complication that can result from either influenza virus infection alone or from co-infection of flu virus and bacteria. Other possible serious complications triggered by flu can include inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), brain (encephalitis) or muscle (myositis, rhabdomyolysis) tissues, and multi-organ failure (for example, respiratory and kidney failure). Flu also can make chronic medical problems worse.