The flu is a common respiratory infection caused by the influenza (flu) virus. According to Health Canada (2006), it affects 10-25% of Canadians annually and is most prevalent from November to April. Unlike the common cold or gastrointestinal illnesses, the flu is more severe, normally lasting up to ten days. However, for very young children, people over 65, and people with an existing medical condition, the risk of serious complications (i.e., pneumonia) arising from the flu is much greater.

Symptoms of the flu include frequent headaches, chills and cough, followed by a fever, loss of appetite, muscle aches and fatigue, watery eyes, throat irritation, runny nose, and sneezing. The virus spreads through tiny droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person. It is then transferred when the droplets are breathed in through the nose or mouth, or come into direct contact with the eyes. It can also be found on the surfaces that an infected person has touched.

To protect yourself against the flu and help prevent its spread to others, consider getting an influenza vaccination or “flu shot.” Flu vaccines have been around since the 1940’s and are 70-90% effective in preventing the flu in healthy adults. The vaccine itself cannot give you the flu because it is produced from bits and pieces of inactive (killed) strains of the most commonly predicted influenza viruses each year. The pieces of the inactive strains stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies that fight off the live strains of the same viruses. These antibodies are effective for four to six months, which is why it is important to get vaccinated every year.

A few groups, such as children under six months of age, people who have had an allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous dose of the vaccine, should not receive the flu shot. For more information, speak with your health care provider.

Key References

Health Canada. (2006, June 20). It’s your health – influenza (the “flu”). Retrieved on July 4, 2006, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/diseases-maladies/flu-grippe_e.html

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (2005, September). Flu fact – the flu can spread to others with just one sneeze. (Catalogue No. 7610-2143593). Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.