If You Already Had the Flu Can You Get It Again

Each yr, millions of people suffer from seasonal flu, which is often chosen the flu. Flu is a respiratory illness caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs.

Flu can be a mild illness for some people. For older people, especially those who have other health problems, the flu can be very serious and even life-threatening. Getting a flu vaccine every year can aid prevent the flu. The vaccine is safe, effective, and bachelor for fiddling to no cost to you lot.

How serious is the flu?

Most people who get the influenza feel improve after a few days to two weeks. However, the influenza tin can be serious, and some people will develop other health issues, chosen complications, because of the flu. Complications can exist balmy, such equally a sinus or ear infection, or more serious, like pneumonia.

Anyone tin get sick from the influenza, but some people are more likely to have complications. Y'all are more than at risk for influenza and its complications if yous:

• Are age 65 or older
• Have sure medical conditions such equally asthma, diabetes, or chronic kidney illness
• Have heart disease or accept had a stroke
• Live in a nursing home or other long-term care facility

Pregnant women and children younger than five years quondam are besides more likely to go very ill from the flu. Learn more than most people at increased risk for flu and its complications.

Why is the flu more than dangerous for older adults?

The flu is more dangerous for older adults for a few reasons. One reason is that the allowed organisation — which helps your body fight infections — weakens as yous age. For case, considering your body is decorated fighting off the flu, you might pick up a 2nd infection such every bit pneumonia. A 2nd reason is that older adults are also more probable to have other health atmospheric condition, like diabetes, that increment their risk for complications from the flu.

The good news is the flu vaccination reduces your risk of getting the flu and of getting seriously sick if you do get sick with the flu. Influenza vaccination is peculiarly helpful for people with chronic wellness conditions. For example, information technology has been linked to lower rates of heart issues (cardiac events) among people with heart disease and fewer hospitalizations among people who have chronic lung illness or diabetes. Larn more well-nigh the benefits of influenza vaccination.

How does the flu spread?

The flu is contagious, which means it spreads from person to person. It mostly spreads through aerosol in the air when people with influenza cough, sneeze, or talk. It can spread from upward to vi feet away. Although it isn't equally common, the flu can also spread from surfaces, for instance, if you touch something the virus is on and and then touch your olfactory organ, mouth, or eyes.

It'southward possible to spread the flu before you feel sick and when you accept symptoms. Typically, people with the flu tin spread it a solar day before, and up to a calendar week after feeling sick. Young children and people with weakened immune systems may be able to spread the flu for even longer. If you lot or someone you know is sick with the flu, take steps to help prevent spreading the disease.

Is it the influenza, a cold, or COVID-19?

The mutual cold, flu, and COVID-xix can all cause similar symptoms. If you take symptoms, talk with your health intendance provider. Your provider can help determine the cause of your disease and help you accept steps to feel better.

A cold is often milder than the influenza. The flu and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, but COVID-19 spreads more than easily and symptoms tend to exist more severe. It'due south also more mutual to have a modify in your sense of odor or taste with COVID-19.

People with the flu tin can have fever, chills, dry coughing, general aches and pains, and a headache. They feel very tired. Sore throat, sneezing, stuffy nose, or stomach bug are less common. What some people phone call "stomach flu" is not influenza. Larn more about the differences betwixt the flu and a cold and flu and COVID-nineteen.

Common symptoms of a common cold, the flu, and COVID-19

The chart beneath shows common symptoms. Not anybody will have these symptoms. Your symptoms may be more or less astringent, or you may only accept a few. If you experience sick, stay home and telephone call your doctor

Mutual Symptoms	Cold	Influenza	COVID-xix
Fever and/or chills		✔	✔
Headache		✔	✔
Muscle pain or body aches		✔	✔
Feeling tired or weak		✔	✔
Sore throat	✔	✔	✔
Runny or stuffy nose	✔	✔	✔
Sneezing	✔
Cough	✔
Shortness of jiff or difficulty breathing		✔
Vomiting and diarrhea		✔
Change in or loss of taste or smell			✔

How can you prevent the influenza?

The nigh constructive fashion to foreclose the flu is to get a flu vaccine every twelvemonth. Anybody 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine. Getting your flu vaccine reduces your take chances of getting the influenza. It also reduces your chances of being hospitalized or dying if you practise get sick with the flu.

In addition to getting your flu vaccine, you can aid stop the spread of flu by:

• Washing your hands
• Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze
• Staying home when y'all are ill
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick

Who should you get a flu vaccine and which one should you choose?

Flu typically spreads in the fall and wintertime. It usually starts to spread in Oct and peaks betwixt December and Feb. That'southward why this time is chosen the influenza season.

It takes at to the lowest degree two weeks for your flu vaccine to start working, and so effort to get vaccinated by the end of October. However, getting vaccinated after Oct can still help protect you from the flu. Considering older adults may lose amnesty from a flu vaccine more speedily, effort to avoid getting vaccinated besides early (earlier September).

Several flu vaccines are available. There are as well 2 types of high-dose vaccinations specifically for people 65 years and older that create a stronger immune response after vaccination. Talk with your wellness care provider or pharmacist nigh which vaccine is best for you lot.

Where tin yous get a influenza vaccine?

You can become your flu vaccine at your md's office or from your local wellness department. Many grocery and drug stores as well offering flu vaccines. Visit Vaccines.gov to observe a location virtually you lot.

Why do you need a influenza vaccine every year?

You demand a flu vaccine every year for two reasons. First, flu viruses alter and the flu vaccine is updated each year to target the influenza viruses that are anticipated to spread that year. Second, the protection you lot get from a flu vaccine lessens with fourth dimension, especially in older people. Getting your flu vaccine every fall gives you the best protection from that year's influenza viruses.

What are the side effects of flu vaccines?

The flu vaccine is safe and cannot give you the flu. Most people take no problem with a flu vaccine.

The most common side furnishings are soreness, redness, or swelling where you were vaccinated. Some people besides get a headache, fever, nausea, or muscle aches. These side effects may start shortly subsequently getting the vaccine and can last up to 2 days. They typically exercise not go far the way of daily activities.

Even people with mild egg allergies can safely get most flu vaccines. Egg-free flu vaccines are besides available. You should not get vaccinated if you accept had a astringent allergic reaction to the influenza vaccine in the past. Talk with your health care provider about your options for flu vaccines and side furnishings.

How much does getting a flu vaccine cost?

Most people tin become a flu vaccine for little to no out-of-pocket cost. Medicare and most private health insurance plans will cover the cost of your flu vaccine. However, some insurance plans crave that you receive your vaccine at a specific location. Check with your insurance visitor. If you practice not have wellness insurance, contact your local or state health department.

What can you practise if you go the flu?

If you become the flu, there are steps yous can accept to feel better. Human activity fast! First, talk with your health care provider. The flu and COVID-19 have similar symptoms, and then you may demand to go tested for an authentic diagnosis. This will besides help determine which medications might make you feel amend.

There are prescription drugs, chosen antivirals, that are used to treat people with the flu. If you accept them within 48 hours subsequently the flu begins, these drugs can make you experience better more quickly. Antivirals can likewise assistance reduce your gamble of complications from influenza. Antibiotics exercise not help you recover from the flu. Still, they are sometimes prescribed to aid you recover from a secondary infection if it is caused past bacteria. Leaner are a different type of germ than viruses.

If you are sick, rest and drink plenty of fluids like juice and water, but non alcohol. Medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, tin can bring down your fever and might aid with the aches and pains. It is important not to fume if you are sick with the influenza. It is a respiratory disease that can infect your lungs besides as your nasal passages. These same areas are also affected past smoking. Take information technology piece of cake equally much equally yous can until you are well.

Monitor your symptoms and talk with your dr. if your symptoms worsen or go severe. For example, if yous:

• Have a fever that goes away and and then comes back. That may exist a sign of another infection.
• Offset having animate or centre problems or your other health bug worsen.
• Feel ongoing pain or pressure in the breast or belly .
• Continue to experience sick and you are not getting ameliorate.
• Have a coughing that brings up thick fungus.

For more information about the flu

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
800-232-4636
888-232-6348 (TTY)
cdcinfo@cdc.gov
www.cdc.gov

This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is authentic and up to date.

Content reviewed: December 01, 2021

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Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/flu-and-older-adults