Immunizations are typically given in October and November because it takes about two weeks for your body to build up immunity. When mentioning outbreaks, the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918 comes to mind. It started in the United States and infected 25 percent of our population, killing one of every 50 infected Americans before going on to devastate Spain. The most recent worldwide epidemic was in 1977. So, the flu bug is nothing to sneeze at - no pun intended.
Influenza is a virus.
We can't kill it with antibiotics. We can only treat the symptoms. Flu symptoms come on abruptly after exposure to the breathing secretions of an infected person. Most patients can pinpoint the hour. Symptoms can include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, feeling lousy, and loss of appetite.