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Effects of the Flu
The flu is an infection of the respiratory tract, affecting the nose, throat, and lungs, and is definitely a disease to be concerned about. The common symptoms of the flu are cough, chills, fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat, and runny nose. Usually, with rest, lots of fluids, and medications for cold-like symptoms, people recover in a week to ten days.
However, high-risk groups, particularly the elderly, the very young, and people with chronic diseases, need to be more concerned about getting the flu, since their risk of developing complications is greater and their incidence of death is higher. Flu symptoms in the elderly and those with chronic illnesses are likely to be more severe and last longer, and patients seem to get worse during the course of the illness instead of better. Complications from the flu are meningitis, pericarditis, bronchitis, and pneumonia, all extremely serious diseases requiring hospitalization.
Pneumococcal pneumonia is another common illness that can be prevented with vaccination. The current recommendation for healthy people is to get one pneumoccocal vaccine at age 65 if they have not had the vaccine in the previous five years, usually at the same time they’re getting their flu shot. However, people with certain chronic illnesses should talk to their doctors about getting the pneumoccocal vaccine at an earlier age and then at intervals of every five years after that.
The flu can be a serious disease. That’s why getting a flu shot is so important. It protects you and those with whom you come in close contact.
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