5 facts about flu | Facts you should know about the flu
The flu is different from a cold, which can cause serious complications, but many people do not understand it correctly, thereby subjectively preventing the disease.
You can test your knowledge of the disease with the following quiz.
Every year, vaccination should be given, the disease is contagious even though there are no symptoms, influenza can cause life-threatening complications if not treated completely.
According to Healthline , flu is a respiratory illness that can cause symptoms including fever, cough, chills, body aches, and fatigue. Flu season occurs every year, the virus can spread quickly in schools and workplaces.
Some people with the flu recover without complications in about 1-2 weeks. But the disease can be dangerous for young children, who are 65 or older. Some flu-related complications are life-threatening. Here are facts about the flu that you should know.
Influenza is contagious before symptoms appear
The flu is very contagious because the virus can be passed on before you get sick. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you can infect someone with the virus a day before symptoms begin. Therefore, it is important that you avoid close contact with others to avoid infecting them.
Flu symptoms can start suddenly
The onset of flu symptoms can happen quickly. You may feel well the day before, unable to do anything the next day or two due to the symptoms of the illness.
Symptoms occur as early as one day after exposure. In other cases, some people do not develop symptoms, which may manifest four days after exposure to the virus.
Influenza causes serious complications if the patient is subjective. Photo: Freepik
Vaccinated for 2 weeks, the flu vaccine works
The seasonal flu vaccine is one of the best ways to protect against the flu virus. The flu shot is effective because it helps your body develop antibodies to protect itself against the virus. However, it takes about 2 weeks for these antibodies to develop.
If you are exposed to the virus within 2 weeks of being vaccinated, you can still get sick. The CDC recommends that everyone get a flu shot by the end of October (flu season runs from October of the previous year to May of the following year).
Need a new flu vaccine every year
The influenza viruses that are mainly circulating this season will be different from the viruses of the following year. This is because the virus changes every year. Therefore, you will need a new vaccine every year to protect yourself.
The flu vaccine does not cause the flu
A misconception is that the flu vaccine causes the flu. Some people experience mild flu-like symptoms after getting the vaccine. Symptoms may include low-grade fever and body aches. But this is not the flu. These symptoms usually only last one to two days.
You may also experience other milder reactions after getting a flu shot. Manifestations include pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site.
The flu can cause dangerous complications
The flu vaccine is especially important if you are at risk for flu-related complications. Complications are more likely to occur in certain groups, such as: people over 65 years of age; young children, especially those under 2 years old; pregnant women and women 2 weeks postpartum; people with weakened immune systems; people with chronic conditions; obese people. However, anyone can develop serious complications.
Influenza viruses can also cause secondary infections. Some infections are mild, such as ear infections or sinus infections. Serious complications can include: bacterial pneumonia and sepsis. Influenza viruses can also worsen chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma, and diabetes, and lead to heart attacks and strokes.
It is still possible to get the flu after being vaccinated
You can get the flu after getting the vaccine. This can happen if you were infected with the virus before the vaccine took effect, or the flu vaccine did not provide enough protection against the virus. Also, you can get sick if you come into contact with a different strain of the virus than the one you were vaccinated against. On average, the flu vaccine reduces the risk of illness by 40-60%.