MUCH ADO ABOUT FLU

Benjamin Franklin famously said that nothing is certain but death and taxes. He might have added influenza to the list. The virus doggedly makes the rounds every fall and winter. Here are a few things you need to know about this virus.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

The Mayo Clinic lists the following:

• Fever above 100 F (38 C), though not everyone with the flu has a fever

• A cough or sore throat

• A runny or stuffy nose

• Headache

• Muscle aches

• Chills

• Fatigue

• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea (most common in children)

IS IT A COLD OR THE FLU?

Information from Johns Hopkins

WHAT DOES THE FLU VACCINE DO?

About two weeks after you get the vaccine, antibodies develop in your body. These protect your body against influenza by destroying the virus or preventing it from it from infecting you.

Influenza is a smart virus that constantly mutates. The flu vaccines’ effectiveness varies each year because the virus changes. Because of this, and because the number of antibodies in your body decreases over time, health experts recommend getting a flu shot each year.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about influenza or the flu vaccine.