Because people are more likely to be gathering in groups indoors during the winter holiday months, it is important to get your annual flu shot. This is free at your local pharmacy for most people in the US.
Flu, or influenza, is caused by one of several related viruses. It is spread by droplets that are sprayed into the air when an infected person sneezes, coughs or talks. That makes flu a highly contagious disease, especially since an infected person can spread the virus even before they begin to show symptoms.
In ordinary, non-pandemic flu seasons, about one in every ten persons gets the flu. It hits children before the age of 18 the hardest. People over age 65 are least likely to get the flu, although they are often more severely affected.
Every year a new flu vaccine is created. The vaccine makers try to predict which variations of the virus will be prevalent in the coming flu season. In the flu season just beginning now, the two most common strains of the flu are H1N1 and H3N2.
Getting a flu shot causes antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks later. These antibodies provide protection against infection by the viruses that are in the vaccine. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months and older, particularly those at special risk, including young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart and lung conditions, should get a flu vaccination every year.
To learn more about flu vaccination, visit the poster set on Healthinfo Island at this SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22
To learn more about influenza viruses, visit the poster set at this SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24
