Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others.

The “seasonal flu season” in the United States can begin as early as October and last as late as May. During this time, flu viruses are circulating in the population.

An annual seasonal flu vaccine (either the flu shot or the nasal-spray flu vaccine) is the best way to reduce the chances that you will get seasonal flu and lessen the chance that you will spread it to others. When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread through that community.

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Almost everyone who is at least 6 months of age should get a flu vaccine this season. It’s especially important for some people to get vaccinated. Those people include the following:

People who are at high risk of developing serious complications like pneumonia if they get sick with the flu. This includes:

• People who have certain medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.
• Pregnant women.
• People 65 years and older.
• People younger than 5 years (and especially those younger than 2).

People who live with or care for others who are high risk of developing serious complications. This includes:

• Household contacts and caregivers of people with certain medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.
• Household contacts and caregivers of infants less than 6 months old.
• Health care personnel.

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Who Should Not Be Vaccinated

• Influenza vaccine is not approved for children younger than 6 months of age.
• People who have had a severe allergic reaction to influenza vaccine should generally not be vaccinated.

 There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:

• People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with or without a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated).
• People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.

[Source for all of the above: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine]

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Where can you get a flu shot?

Contact your primary care doctor's office or your local pharmacist to see if they offer flu shots.

Adult Immunization & Travel Clinic: AITC is a non-profit, fee-for-service clinic that is part of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. AITC is committed to providing convenient, knowledgeable, personalized, and cost-effective immunization services for travelers, students, new employees, immigrants, and other members of the community. Information is available at http://www.sfcdcp.org/aitc.html

HealthMap Vaccine Finder

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Cold or Flu?

Treatment for the Flu

When to Call Your Doctor About the Flu

[Source: UCSF Medical Center]

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Health Newsletters at the Patient Health Library, December 2013

Here are highlights from recent health and wellness newsletters at the UCSF Patient Health Library.  To see the entire articles, visit the Patient Health Library.

Not all information is free and not all of it is online!

Consumer Reports on Health

December 2013
-Latest on the flu vaccine and what to do if you get sick anyway, pp.1,4-5
-The best protection for your eyes, pp.6-7
-What you need to know about "off-label" drug prescription, p.8
-Cooking do's and don'ts for your feast, p.9
-Ate too much? Here's why it matters, p.11
"A study of almost 2,000 heart-attack patients suggested that a single act of overeating could quadruple one's chance of having a heart attack on the same day."

Harvard Health Letter

December 2013
-Choosing a medical alerting device, pp.1,7
"Unfortunately, the devices are underused. Many older adults agree to use a device only after a medical emergency when they've been traumatized."
-A guide to headache symptoms and treatments, p.3
"Knowing which type of headache you're dealing with will indicate which medications to use first."
-Easy exercises for couch potatoes, p.4
-Wean yourself off sleep aids, p.5
-Medication errors and how to avoid them, p.6

Harvard Heart Letter

December 2013
-Depression and heart disease, pp.1,7
-Living with AFib, p.3
-Prescription for exercise, pp.4-5
"As little as 15 minutes of physical activity a day can increase your life span as much as three years."
-Managing medications for coronary artery disease, p.5

Johns Hopkins Medical Letter: Health After 50

November 2013
-Should you be screened for lung cancer? pp.1-2 
-Regaining bladder control, pp.4-5

Mayo Clinic Health Letter

December 2013
-Lowering blood pressure: devices that help, p.6

Nutrition Action Newsletter

December 2013
-What do we know about weight gain and loss? pp.1,3-6
"[Researchers] are looking at not just a how many calories people eat and burn, but the their genes, the microbes in their gut, how much they sleep, and more."
-Is chocolate really good for us? pp.8-11
-Delicious, healthy holiday side dish recipes, p.12
-Counting year-end calories, pp.13-15
"New flash: calories count even if you're standing up."

Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter

December 2013
-Control your blood sugar to help protect your brain, pp.1,3
-Walking as good as running, if you have time, p.3
-Eat right for strong bones, pp.4-5

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Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others.

The “seasonal flu season” in the United States can begin as early as October and last as late as May. During this time, flu viruses are circulating in the population.

An annual seasonal flu vaccine (either the flu shot or the nasal-spray flu vaccine) is the best way to reduce the chances that you will get seasonal flu and lessen the chance that you will spread it to others. When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread through that community.

---

Almost everyone who is at least 6 months of age should get a flu vaccine this season. It’s especially important for some people to get vaccinated. Those people include the following:

People who are at high risk of developing serious complications like pneumonia if they get sick with the flu. This includes:

• People who have certain medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.
• Pregnant women.
• People 65 years and older

People who live with or care for others who are high risk of developing serious complications. This includes:

• household contacts and caregivers of people with certain medical conditions including asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.

---

Who Should Not Be Vaccinated
There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
• People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.
• Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
• People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)

[Source for all of the above: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine]

---

Where can you get a flu shot?

Contact your primary care doctor's office or your local pharmacist to see if they offer flu shots.

Adult Immunization & Travel Clinic: AITC is a non-profit, fee-for-service clinic that is part of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. AITC is committed to providing convenient, knowledgeable, personalized, and cost-effective immunization services for travelers, students, new employees, immigrants, and other members of the community. Information is available at http://www.sfcdcp.org/aitc.html

HealthMap Vaccine Finder

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Cold or Flu?
[From UCSF Medical Center Patient Education]

Treatment for the Flu
[From UCSF Medical Center Patient Education]

When to Call Your Doctor About the Flu
[From UCSF Medical Center Patient Education]

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Vaccines aren't just for kids

Vaccines aren't just for kids. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that many adults become ill, are disabled, or die each year from diseases that could easily have been prevented by vaccines.

Everyone from young adults to senior citizens can benefit from immunizations. The CDC has a short, online questionnaire that can help you find out if there are vaccines that are recommended for you.

Some of these diseases can be especially serious for adults age 65 and older:

- Influenza (flu)
- Shingles
- Diphtheria
- Pneumococcus (pneumonia)
- Tetanus
- Hepatitis A & B

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For more information:

Vaccine-preventable adult diseases [from the CDC]

Visit the MedlinePlus topic pages on immunization and childhood immunization.

Contact the librarian at the UCSF Patient Health Library for a search tailored to your needs.

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Emergency Preparedness

Ready.gov: Prepare. Plan. Stay Informed
[From the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)]

• Making a basic emergency supply kit
• Making a plan in case of emergencies
• What you should know in the event of emergencies ranging from biological threat to earthquake to tornado to flood to wildfire and more.
• Much, much more

Preparedness Fast Facts
[From the American Red Cross]

• Be Red Cross Ready (general preparedness) (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Earthquake Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Fire Prevention & Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Flood Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Flu Checklist (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Heat Wave Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Hurricane Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Landslide Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Oil Spill Checklist (English pdf) 
• Pets and Disaster Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Tornado Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Tsunami Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)
• Wild Fire Safety (English pdf | Spanish pdf)

Emergency Preparedness and You
[From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)]

• What does it mean to "shelter-in-place" and how do I prepare for it?
• Understanding Quarantine and Isolation
• Tools for coping with disaster

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Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

Nearly everyone 6 months of age and older should get a yearly flu vaccine. Ample supplies of influenza vaccine are now available. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for your body to develop an immune response. Get vaccinated now so that you will be protected when flu season begins. In the United States, influenza season usually begins in October and can last until May. [From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)]

People at High Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications
[From the CDC]


Who Should Not Be Vaccinated
There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include:

• People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
• People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination.
• People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine.
• Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and
• People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever (they should wait until they recover to get vaccinated.)

[From the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm ]
 

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Where can you get a flu shot?

Contact your primary care doctor's office or your local pharmacist to see if they offer flu shots.

Adult Immunization & Travel Clinic: AITC is a non-profit, fee-for-service clinic that is part of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. AITC is committed to providing convenient, knowledgeable, personalized, and cost-effective immunization services for travelers, students, new employees, immigrants, and other members of the community. Information is available at http://www.sfcdcp.org/aitc.html

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Cold or Flu?
[From UCSF Medical Center Patient Education]

Treatment for the Flu
[From UCSF Medical Center Patient Education]

When to Call Your Doctor About the Flu
[From UCSF Medical Center Patient Education]

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Vaccinations

Vaccines aren't just for kids. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that many adults become ill, are disabled, or die each year from diseases that could easily have been prevented by vaccines.

Everyone from young adults to senior citizens can benefit from immunizations. The CDC has a short, online questionnaire that can help you find out if there are vaccines that are recommended for you.

Some of these diseases can be especially serious for adults age 65 and older:

- Influenza (flu)
- Shingles
- Diphtheria
- Pneumococcus (pneumonia)
- Tetanus
- Hepatitis A & B

---

For more information:

Vaccine-preventable adult diseases [from the CDC]

Visit the MedlinePlus topic pages on immunization and childhood immunization.

Tweet