Medications at School Students requiring to take medications at school are asked to have a medication permit form on file. Forms are available in the school office or from the nurse. Influenza is a serious disease. It is caused by a virus that spreads from infected persons to the nose or throat of others. Most people are ill with influenza for only a few days, but some get much sicker and may need to be hospitalized.
Influenza causes thousands of deaths each year, mostly among the elderly.
The viruses that cause influenza change often. Because of this, influenza is updated each year by replacing at least one of the vaccine viruses with a newer one. Protection develops about two weeks after the shot and may last up to a year. The best time to get influenza vaccine is between September and December. A new shot is needed ear year.