Use your handkerchief. Once vaccine supplies allow, healthy persons who want to reduce their likelihood of getting the flu or do their part to reduce transmission should also be immunized. Once we establish that influenza is being actively transmitted, there is a lag time of four to six weeks before illnesses reach a peak. That usually happens in December or January, so people may still have time to get their vaccine. The tests indicate that the current trivalent vaccine is well matched to these early strains.
Influenza is characterized by abrupt onset of fever, headache, sore throat, cough, and muscle aches.
Unlike other common respiratory illnesses, influenza is associated with a striking sense of unwellness accompanied with a loss of appetite and weakness lasting several days. Rest and fluids are important during the acute illness. Antiviral drugs are available for both type A and type B infections to shorten the time to full recovery but they must be initiated within the first 24 to 48 hours of illness. Such drugs may also be used to prevent influenza during the period of community transmission. Children should not be given aspirin because of the risk of Reye syndrome following influenza.