Get Your Flu Shot
Get Your Flu Shot!
Influenza (or flu) is a common respiratory illness affecting millions of Canadians each year. Getting an influenza vaccination (or flu shot) every year can help prevent the infection or reduce the severity of the illness. Influenza is a respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. Various strains of the virus circulate throughout the world year-round, causing local outbreaks. Although most of these people recover completely, an estimated 500-1500 Canadians, mostly seniors, die every year from pneumonia related to flu and many others may die from other serious complications of flu.
The influenza virus spreads through droplets that have been coughed or sneezed into the air by someone who has the flu. You can get the flu by breathing in these droplets through your nose or mouth, or by the droplets landing directly on your eyes. The flu virus is also found on the hands of people with the flu and on surfaces they have touched. You can become infected if you shake hands with infected persons or touch contaminated surfaces and transfer the virus to your own eyes, nose or mouth.
Many people use the terms “flu” or “stomach flu” to describe other illnesses that may be a cold or a mild case of food poisoning. There is no such thing as “stomach flu.” A true case of influenza typically starts with a headache, chills and cough, which are followed rapidly by fever, loss of appetite, muscle aches and fatigue, runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and throat irritation. Children may have nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but these symptoms are uncommon in adults. Most people recover within a week or ten days. However, some are at greater risk for more severe and longer-lasting complications, such as pneumonia. The groups at greater risk include very young children, people over 65, and people who already have medical conditions, such as chronic respiratory disease, heart or kidney disease, diabetes or a depressed immune system because of cancer, HIV infection, or some other cause.