Influenza Prevention
Options to avoid getting influenza virus have increased in large scale in recent years.
* Vaccination is recommended for all people get vaccinated each year, including school children who want to reduce the risk of getting flu or pass it on to others. Vaccination is recommended in particular:
- all children and adolescents between 6 months and 18 years of age, especially those with long-term therapy with aspirin and therefore could be at risk of developing Reye syndrome after infection with the flu
- all people over age 50 – pregnant or who will be pregnant during flu season
- adults and children who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), heart (except hypertension), kidney, liver, blood or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)
- adults and children with suppressed immune systems (due to immunosuppressive medications or human immunodeficiency virus)
- adults and children with any condition (eg, cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders or other neuromuscular disorders) that can compromise lung function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk of these aspiring secretions
- persons residing in nursing homes and other care for the chronically ill
- health or personal
- adults and children in direct contact with children under 5 years (especially children younger than 6 months) and adults over 50 years, and
- adults or children or direct contact with people with medical conditions that put these healthy people at high risk for serious complications from the flu
The classic influenza vaccine is 70 to 90% effective in helping healthy people younger than 65 years to prevent disease or reduce its severity. For maximum effectiveness, doctors recommend vaccination in October or November because it is the start of flu season.
* Healthy people between 2 and 49 have no alternative to the flu shot. FluMist is an intranasal vaccine administered by nasal spray and that seems to offer similar protection to that of the vaccine. Contains a virus instead of virus off dead than in the vaccine, but not FluMist more effective than traditional flu vaccine. Since FluMist is so new, people at high risk of flu (persons aged 49 years and those with chronic health conditions) should receive the influenza vaccine.
* Good hygiene: the virus usually is transmitted through the air by coughing, also spread by direct contagion, by shaking hands or kissing someone else. Therefore, good hygiene, like covering their mouths with their hands sneezing and frequent hand washing can help avoid getting or transmitting it to others.
* Antiviral drugs: zanamivir (Relenza) and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) can reduce the chances of getting influenza by 70 to 90% if these are taken before an outbreak. Zanamivir is a spray that is inhaled through the mouth. The other drugs are compressed.
The older drugs used to help prevent influenza, amantadine and rimantadine have lost their effectiveness. However, zanamivir and oseltamivir are active against most strains of influenza A and B.
Zanamivir is inhaled from a nebulizer. It is approved for prevention in people 5 years and older and for treatment in people 7 years and older. Side effects may include nausea and vomiting, and wheezing, especially in people with asthma or chronic lung disease.
Oseltamivir is available in tablets. It is approved for the prevention and treatment in patients over one year. Side effects may include nausea and vomiting.
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