Seasonal Influenza (The Flu)

Email Flu Questions to: flu@vdh.state.vt.us

fact man - flu shot superhero

Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs. The flu usually spreads through the air from person to person when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. When these viruses enter the nose, throat, or lungs of a person, they begin to multiply, causing symptoms of the flu. Unlike the common cold, the flu can cause serious illness and can be life-threatening. Each year over 36,000 people in the U.S. die from complications of the flu.

In Vermont, the flu season typically begins in December or January and may last through April.

Read our fact sheet, Is It a Cold or Flu? (pdf)

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Who Should Get a Flu Shot?

While nearly everyone will benefit from a flu shot, some people are especially be a superhero - stay home if you are sick!vulnerable if they get the flu.

With plenty of vaccine available this season, the Department of Health is encouraging all Vermonters to get vaccinated, especially those at high risk of complications from the flu.

People who should get vaccinated each year are:

    • Children aged 6 months until their 5th birthday
    • Pregnant women
    • People 50 years of age and older
    • People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
    • People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.
    • Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu (see above)
    • Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
    • Healthcare workers.

Contact your health care provider for vaccine availability, or use this on line tool to locate a flu shot clinic near you.

If you are a professional caregiver, contact your employer, or call the Vermont Department of Health at 1-800-464-4343.

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Prevent the Spread of Flu

The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot each fall.

To prevent the spread of flu or any other illness that can be spread from person to person:

Read our fact sheet, Preventing the Flu (pdf)


What to do if you get the flu?

Flu symptoms can often be confused with the common cold, but the flu usually comes on more suddenly and is more severe. Symptoms of flu may include fever (usually high), headache, tiredness and weakness (can be extreme), dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body or muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (much more common among children than adults).

A person who is sick with the flu can spread viruses. That means they are contagious. Adults are usually contagious from one day before having symptoms to seven days after getting sick. Children can be contagious for longer than seven days.

If you start to get flu symptoms:

Call your health care provider right away if your flu symptoms are very serious.

For more information on what to do and emergency warning signs:
Read our fact sheet - What to Do if You Get the Flu? (pdf)

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Resources

Additional Influenza Information

Fact Sheets (all fact sheets in pdf format)

Posters for Display (all posters in pdf format)

Superhero Campaign:

   FactMan            Adventures of Mom               Jack & Joe

image of factman poster                 image of adventures of mom poster                    image of adventures of jack & joe poster

Respiratory Etiquette:
Achoo! Flu prevention poster image Achoo! - poster for schools, daycares, etc. on good health manners and respiratory etiquette; 8.5 x 11, 249 KB

 



Don't share flu poster image Don't Share - poster for offices and other public places on preventing germs from spreading; 8.5 x 11, 236 KB

 



Ask for a mask infection control poster image Ask for a Mask - poster for hospitals, clinics and other health care settings; 8.5 x 11, 210 KB

 



Caring may mean not visiting posterCaring May Mean not Visiting - poster for hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities that receive visitors; 11 x 17, 136 KB




 

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