How To Protect You And Your Family From The Flu
- Get the Flu Vaccine
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue in the trash after using it. If you do not have a tissue, cover your coughs and sneezes with the inside of your elbow, not your bare hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you are sick with flu-like illness, it is recommended that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.
- While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
Does The Tetanus Vaccine Cause Autism
The tetanus vaccine does not cause autism.
While people express concerns about the potential for serious side effects from vaccines, this worry may come partly from misinformation. As the United States Department of Health and Human Services state, research shows vaccines do not lead to autism.
Medical researchers monitor vaccines constantly, and any evidence that linked vaccinations to severe disabilities or other health problems would lead to medical authorities taking swift safety measures.
There are several different types of tetanus shots available. Producers often package the tetanus shot with other similar vaccines, so that it works to prevent more than one type of disease. These vaccines may be as follows:
Tdap: The Tdap vaccine prevents tetanus, while also working to prevent diphtheria and pertussis, or whooping cough.
DTaP: The DTaP vaccine is the form doctors often use for very young children. It prevents tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.
Td or DT: The Td and DT shots prevent tetanus and diphtheria, and doctors use these as tetanus booster shots. A period of 10 years is the longest a person should go without a tetanus booster.
Some people should avoid the tetanus shot. Anyone who has ever had a severe allergic reaction to tetanus vaccines in the past should avoid having the tetanus shot again.
Most people get a tetanus shot as a child, and so it is helpful if people are aware of any reactions they had when they were young.
How Can I Tell If I Have The Flu Covid A Cold Or Allergies
It can be challenging to distinguish between these conditions because they have many overlapping symptoms. For instance, both the flu and Covid-19 can cause fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, vomiting and diarrhea. Therefore, the only way to distinguish reliably between the two illnesses is to get tested, Dr. Gandhi said.
There are now combined tests available at some doctors offices that can distinguish between flu, SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncytial virus , a common and typically mild respiratory virus that can cause more serious symptoms in infants and older adults. Most of these tests are not covered by health insurance, though, Dr. Fradin said. They can run around $250, although costs may vary, she said.
Some cold and allergy symptoms might overlap with those from the flu or Covid-19 , but symptoms of colds and allergies are typically more mild, and are usually limited to the nose, throat and chest. In kids, however, Covid-19 can present a lot like a cold. So it may be wise for kids with cold symptoms to get a Covid-19 test, Dr. Fradin said.
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Do Flu Vaccines Cause Any Side Effects
Like any medical product, vaccines can cause side effects. Side effects of the flu vaccine are generally mild and go away on their own within a few days.
Common side effects from the flu shot include:
- Soreness, redness, and/or swelling from the shot
- Headache
- Muscle aches
The flu shot, like other injections, can occasionally cause fainting.
Some studies have found a possible small association of injectable flu vaccine with Guillain-Barré syndrome . Overall, these studies estimated the risk for GBS after vaccination as fewer than 1 or 2 cases of GBS per one million people vaccinated. Other studies have not found any association. GBS also, rarely, occurs after flu illness. Even though GBS following flu illness is rare, GBS is more common following flu illness than following flu vaccination. GBS has not been associated with the nasal spray vaccine.
What Should I Do If I Get The Flu
If you think you have the flu, a good first step is to call or set up a telemedicine visit with your doctor, if you can. A virtual visit may suffice and your doctor could advise on next steps for testing, Dr. Gandhi said, to determine if you have the flu, Covid-19, both or something else.
If you do have the flu, you may be eligible to receive antiviral drugs that can reduce symptom severity, Dr. Gandhi said. Also, drink plenty of water and other clear liquids, take over-the-counter pain relievers if needed and avoid contact with others. If possible, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.
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How Long Will The Covid Booster Side Effects Last
Just like with the initial doses, you may feel fine immediately after getting the shot and the side effects will kick in several hours later or the next morning when you wake up. COVID booster side effects can last up to 48 to 72 hours, says Dr. Mandal.
It is also possible to feel immediate side effects such as muscle pain within one hour after receiving the booster, she notes. Other side effects mentioned above can occur within a 24-hour period.
Some people have not experienced any side effects with any of the vaccines, while others have experienced side effects with the second dose and the booster dose.
There isnt anything that causes one person to experience stronger side effects than others it simply depends on your bodys immune response. Younger people may be more likely to experience these effects because they have stronger immune systems compared to older adults, and they tend to affect women because of hormone levels.
What’s New With The 2021
There are many types of flu virusesand each consistently changes. This means that the U.S. flu vaccines are reviewed every year to prevent against the currently circulating flu viruses. This year’s vaccines are all “quadrivalent,” according to the CDC, meaning they’re designed to protect against four different viruses that cause the flu.
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Side Effects Of The Flu Shot In Kids
Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
Illustration by Cindy Chung, Verywell
By and large, kids tolerate flu shots well, but some may experience side effects that are typically brief and mild. The benefits of the flu shot far outweigh any discomfort a person may experience. This is especially true for young children who can develop serious complications if they catch influenza.
What To Do If Your Baby Is Unwell After The Rotavirus Vaccine
As with all vaccines, a few babies will have side effects, such as diarrhoea, although they’re usually mild and do not last long. Most babies will not have any problems at all.
Also, bear in mind that diarrhoea and vomiting in babies is common and may be unrelated to the vaccine.
A baby can get rotavirus infection after being vaccinated, but this is uncommon, and the illness is usually milder than it would have been if they had not been vaccinated.
See a GP if your baby is very unwell or the illness is lasting a long time, or if you’re concerned in any way about their health after the vaccination.
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How Is The Safety Of Flu Vaccines Monitored
CDC and the Food and Drug Administration closely monitor the safety of vaccines approved for use in the United States. CDC uses two primary systems to monitor the safety of flu vaccines:
People with egg allergies can receive any licensed, recommended age-appropriate influenza vaccine that is otherwise appropriate. People who have a history of severe egg allergy should be vaccinated in a medical setting, supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions. Two completely egg-free flu vaccine options are available: quadrivalent recombinant vaccine and quadrivalent cell-based vaccine.
How Well Do Our Flu Vaccines Work
Because the flu virus changes so rapidly, and most flu vaccines are grown slowly and somewhat imprecisely in chicken eggs, the strains we get vaccinated against are sometimes not what our bodies end up encountering, Dr. Palese said. And because of that, flu vaccines are not as effective as some other vaccines that protect against viral illnesses. During the 2019-2020 flu season, for instance, those who received the flu vaccine were only 39 percent less likely than people who didnt receive the vaccine to develop influenza. Two doses of the Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines, on the other hand, reduce symptomatic illness from Covid-19 by more than 90 percent, and two doses of the measles vaccine provide 97 percent protection.
That being said, Dr. Palese added, the best thing you can do to protect yourself from the flu is to get a vaccine. Thats the only thing that really makes a difference.
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Transmissibility Of Cold Flu And Covid
Transmission of the common cold is far less likely since most people who are suffering from a cold tend to only be contagious the first two or three days of having it, according to Childrens Health Los Angeles.
However, the flu and COVID-19 are far more transmissible. Usually, the flu can be contagious anywhere between the first day and the fourth day of infection, whereas COVID-19 can be contagious between the second or fourth day before symptoms appear, according to the CDC. But with COVID-19, a person can be contagious without having any symptoms which is also known as being asymptomatic.
COVID-19 vs. flu
- Both can spread through droplets or smaller virus particles from a sick person to other people nearby
- Smaller particles may linger in the air, and another person can inhale them and become infected
- Both viruses can contaminate surfaces and infect a person who has touched it
“Weve seen that COVID typically is a bit more transmissible across people. But as far as the transmission way, its the same. Its through those respiratory droplets, its through close contact with someone, touching the same things that maybe havent been cleaned and then touching your eyes. Any of those portal of entries. So, those same precautions that we were doing with COVID, were also helping reduce your exposure and infection with common colds and for flu,” Flinn said.
What Kinds Of Flu Shots Are There
Flu shots known as “quadrivalent vaccines” protect against four strains of flu virus. These include two influenza A strains H1N1 and H3N2 and two influenza B strains. Previously, some flu shots protected against three strains, and were known as trivalent flu vaccines, but starting in the 2021-2022 season, all flu shots are quadrivalent, according to the CDC.
In addition to the standard-dose flu vaccine given through a needle, flu shots are available in several different forms. These include a high-dose version for those ages 65 and older a “cell-based” version that’s grown in animal cells rather than hen’s eggs and is approved for people ages 4 and older a “recombinant” vaccine that does not use the full influenza virus or chicken eggs in the production process and is approved for people ages 18 and older and a nasal spray, which is approved for healthy people ages 2 to 49, but not for pregnant women.
There is also a needle-free flu shot, delivered by a so-called jet injector, which uses a high-pressure stream of fluid to inject the vaccine, the CDC says. It is approved for adults ages 18 to 64.
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Myth #: You Get The Flu From The Flu Shot
“It’s a myth that you can get flu from the flu vaccine,” Schaffner said.
The viruses in the flu shot are killed, so people cannot get the flu from a flu vaccine. However, because it takes about two weeks for people to build up immunity after they get the flu vaccine, some people may catch the flu shortly after they’re vaccinated, if they are exposed to the flu during this time period.
Some people may also mistakenly attribute symptoms of a cold to the vaccine, Schaffner said.
The nasal spray vaccine contains a “live attenuated” flu virus, but the virus is weakened so that it cannot cause the flu. The viruses in the nasal spray can’t replicate in the warm temperatures of the lungs and other parts in the body. However, because temperatures in the nose are colder, the virus causes a small infection in the nose. This infection does not cause symptoms in most people, but in some people, it causes symptoms such as runny nose and sore throat, Schaffner said.
This local infection will prompt the body to make antibodies against the flu virus, Schaffner said. “That provides better protection against the real flu, which is of course, is a virus that can make you seriously ill,” Schaffner said.
What About People Who Get A Seasonal Flu Vaccine And Still Get Sick With Flu Symptoms
There are several reasons why someone might get flu symptoms, even after they have been vaccinated against flu.
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The Flu Questions You Only Ask Google
Its flu season. And as a responsible adult, youve made the decision to get a flu shot. Even if your arm still feels a little sore on the drive home, you feel proud about protecting yourself from the flu with the best preventive measure.
A few hours later you arent feeling too wellwas it that flu shot? You turn to Google to find out what is going on with your body.
To ease your worries, were putting all the answers you need in one place. Here are the answers to some of the flu questions that youve asked Google.
Can The Flu Shot Give You Diarrhea
There are a few potential reactions from the flu shot, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not have diarrhea listed as an official side effect. It is a side effect for children ages 2-17 who got the LAIV . But this year, the CDC stopped recommending the LAIV as a substitution because its not very effective.
If you have diarrhea after your flu shot, it could just be a coincidence. Yes, its also a minor flu symptom. But before you blame that on your flu shot, keep reading.
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Are Severe Side Effects Possible
It’s unusual to have serious side effects from the flu shot. Life-threatening anaphylactic reactions are also rare, and “the new vaccines are actually very safe for those with egg allergies,” says Dr. Dodd. Symptoms of an allergic reaction show up within minutes to hours, according to the CDC, and they include breathing trouble, weakness, fast heart rate, dizziness, hives, sweating, hoarseness, and paleness. Find emergency assistance immediately if you suspect an allergic reaction from the flu vaccine.
What’s more, the flu shot may have a small association with a rare disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome , in which the immune system attacks your nerves. Some studies found that GBS occurs fewer than 1 or 2 times out of every one million vaccinations others didn’t find any link, says the CDC. It’s important to note, though, that GBS may also occur after getting the flu. In fact, “you have a greater chance of getting GBS from influenza than by the vaccine itself,” says Dr. Dodd, adding that it’s still highly unlikely.
How To Tell The Difference Between The Common Cold Flu And Covid
What is the difference? COVID-19, the flu, the common cold
Health experts advise getting tested by a health care provider but here are some key differences between COVID-19, the flu and the common cold as told by a nurse educator.
As colder temperatures set in for many U.S. states, the uncertainties of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continue to linger, leaving many people still wondering if the cough and aches they feel are actually due to the flu, common cold or the novel coronavirus.Despite the wide availability of COVID-19 vaccines to Americans as young as 5 years old, the chance of infection from COVID-19 is still a possibility. So how do you tell the difference between the flu, the common cold or COVID-19? Jade Flinn, a nurse educator at Johns Hopkins Hospitals biocontainment unit, outlines some key differences and similarities between the three illnesses.
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