For most of us, the flu is a mild, albeit miserable, respiratory illness that lasts a few days. The symptoms — fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches — are unpleasant, but we recover and get back to our daily routines. For those with compromised or weaker immune systems, however, the flu can cause severe, life-threatening complications. Young children, adults 65+, pregnant women and people with certain chronic illnesses are all at a higher risk of developing scary complications such as pneumonia, organ-failure, sepsis or worsening of an existing condition.
What can we do to protect those at risk? It’s simple: get a flu shot.
By doing so, you are not only protecting yourself, but also those around you. Flu is a contagious respiratory illness that spreads person to person through droplets when we cough, sneeze or talk. You can infect someone up to 6 feet away, and spread the virus without realizing you have it. According to the CDC, “most healthy adults may be able to infect other people beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick,” and children can spread the virus for even longer.
Flu is contagious and not all of us have the immune system to fight it. Do your part and protect the most vulnerable by getting vaccinated today. The more people who get vaccinated, the harder it is for the flu to spread.