What should you know about flu?

How to recognize flu, avoid getting it, and prevent spreading it.

What is flu and what’s it to you?

Influenza, flu for short, is a serious and contagious respiratory
illness caused by the influenza virus.1 Flu mainly spreads via tiny
droplets made through coughing, sneezing, or talking.1,2 These
droplets can travel about six feet and can land in the mouths or
noses of others nearby.1 Symptoms can range from mild to severe,
sometimes leading to pneumonia, bronchitis, ear infections, and
even death.1,3

In the 2023-2024 season, flu has resulted in*:

*According to preliminary estimates of flu burden in the 2023-2024 season.

Who is at risk?

Everyone is at risk of catching the flu, but those with a higher risk of developing severe flu-related complications are the elderly, young children, and those with certain health conditions.5

What are ways to prevent flu from spreading?

Everyone should do what they can to help reduce the spread of flu, such as cleaning surfaces, coughing and sneezing into tissues, staying home while feeling sick, and most importantly, getting vaccinated.6

Why Get vaccinated?

  • Even healthy people can catch and spread flu7
  • Getting vaccinated is the most effective way to prevent flu8
  • Getting vaccinated can help prevent hospitalization or death caused by flu9
  • The CDC recommends getting vaccinated yearly for the best protection10

 

 

When is flu season?

Flu season can be unpredictable and likes to keep us on our toes.

It usually starts in early fall, around October, and continues into spring; however, it has lasted into May during some particularly stubborn years.11 The months of December through March are considered peak flu season and when most people get it—but you should be aware that people can catch flu year-round.12

Children and adults should get vaccinated by the end of October.

The CDC recommends scheduling your yearly flu vaccine in early fall, prior to flu season.13 Even if you’re not able to get vaccinated until November or later, it iswswtwil.alstraezecnoecma.com.ended because flu commonly peaks in February and can continue into May.14

 

 

Getting mixed signals from symptoms?15, 16, 17

Flu, COVID-19, colds, and allergies can look similar, but there are ways to tell them apart.

*A person may experience flu symptoms 1-4 days after infection, whereas COVID-19 symptoms may be experienced 2-14 days after infections.

This table is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for the advice of your healthcare provider. if you have any of the flu symptoms shown here, stay home and call your doctor.

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References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). How Flu Spreads. CDC; 2024.
  2. Tellier R. Aerosol transmission of influenza A virus: a review of new studies. J R Soc Interface. 2009;6(Suppl 6):S783–S790.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu Symptoms and Complications. CDC; 2024.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Preliminary in-season burden estimates of influenza, 2023–2024. CDC; 2024.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Key Facts About Influenza (Flu) [Internet].
    CDC; 2024 [cited YYYY MMM DD]. Available from:
    https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm
  6. World Health Organization. Influenza (Seasonal) – Key Facts [Internet]. WHO; 2024. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal)
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Benefits of Flu Vaccination [Internet]. CDC; 2024 . Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccine-benefits.htm
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions [Internet]. CDC; 2024 Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/faq.htm
  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Flu Season [Internet]. CDC; 2024 [cited YYYY MMM DD]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm
  10. World Health Organization. Influenza (Seasonal) – Key Facts [Internet]. WHO; 2024 [cited YYYY MMM DD]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal)
  11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When to Get Vaccinated Against Flu [Internet]. CDC; 2024 [cited YYYY MMM DD]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/timing.htm
  12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Key Facts About Influenza (Flu). CDC; 2024 Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.html
  13. Mayo Clinic’s “COVID-19, cold, allergies and the flu: What are the differences?” article. Mayo Clinic
  14. Cleveland Clinic’s “How to know if it’s COVID-19, a cold or allergies” chart. Cleveland Clinic
  15. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s blog “How Can You Tell the Difference Between COVID-19, a Cold, the Flu, RSV, Allergies, and Asthma?” which contains a comparison chart.

 

 

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