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Influenza and flu shots

Video courtesy of Ready Anoka County

More about flu prevention

Protect yourself and your family from the flu

A family gathers in the fall weather. It's flu shot time. Protect yourself and your family. Shots and quick and easy to get at your clinic now.

Get a flu shot.
Annual influenza vaccinations are available by appointment
at most Allina clinics.

Schedule flu shots with MyChart.

The best way to prevent flu is to get vaccinated.

Everyone over six months of age should receive the flu vaccine. It's especially important if you live with people who are at high risk for developing flu–related complications.

How to help prevent the spread of influenza

In addition to getting the seasonal flu shot each year, you can take these steps to help prevent the spread of the flu.

  • Stay home from work, school and errands when you are sick.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don't have a tissue available, cough into your sleeve instead of your hand.
  • Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick. If you get the flu, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water or use a waterless alcohol handrub.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • Practice other good health habits:
    • Eat well-balanced meals.
    • Exercise.
    • Manage your stress.
    • Drink plenty of fluids.
    • Get plenty of rest.

Source: Allina Patient Education, Influenza, ic-ahc-14772 (10/10); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Minnesota Department of Health
Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education, Influenza, ic-ahc-14772; Cindy Larson, infection preventionist, Mercy Hospital
First Published: 04/30/2009
Last Reviewed: 08/22/2011

Flu shots: Questions and answers

Doctor Lisa Bishop makes sure the kids she sees get annual flu shots.

"Getting the flu vaccine makes a difference," says Lisa Bishop, MD. "It's especially important if you are in contact with the more vulnerable, such as older adults and babies."

The flu can result in complications such as sinus infections, bronchitis, or even pneumonia. That's why Dr. Bishop, pediatrician at Allina Medical Clinic – Maple Grove, recommends that nearly all her patients get the vaccine.

Dr. Bishop answers some common questions about flu shots.

Can I get sick from a flu shot?
Why do I have to get a shot every year?
How do flu shots work?
When should I get the 2011-2012 flu shot?
What happened to H1N1 (swine flu)?
Do doctors usually get their flu shots?
Who should get a flu shot?
Who should not get a flu shot?
I don't like needles. Can I get the nasal spray vaccine?
Where can you get a flu shot?

Source: Minnesota Department of Health; United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prevention and Control of Influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2011-2012; Lisa Bishop, MD, Allina Medical Clinic - Maple Grove
Reviewed by: Cindy Larson, infection preventionist, Mercy Hospital
First Published: 09/10/2003
Last Reviewed: 09/01/2011

When to call your
health care provider

In children:

  • fast breathing or trouble breathing
  • bluish skin color
  • not drinking enough liquids
  • not waking up or not interacting
  • being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
  • seizures
  • flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
  • fever (more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit) with a rash.

In adults:

  • difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
  • sudden dizziness or confusion
  • severe or persistent vomiting
  • flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough.

Flu symptoms

Influenza is a respiratory (nose, throat, lungs) illness caused by influenza viruses (germs). Commonly known as the flu, influenza can cause mild to severe illness.

You may have some or all of the following symptoms:

  • fever or feeling feverish
  • cough
  • sore throat
  • runny or stuffy nose
  • muscle or body aches
  • headache
  • fatigue (feeling tired)
  • diarrhea and vomiting (more common for children than adults).

If you have these symptoms, you should:

  • stay at home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone (without using fever-reducing medicine). Even if you don't have a fever, you may still have the flu and can spread it to others if you have other flu symptoms.
  • get plenty of rest
  • drink fluids, including water
  • cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
  • wash your hands often, especially if you are in contact with others
  • watch for changes in your symptoms to make sure they do not get worse
  • treat the symptoms (talk to your pharmacist or health care provider for suggestions)
  • take flu antiviral medicine if your health care provider prescribes them. These medicines fight viruses, like the flu. They can help make your symptoms milder and shorten the time you are sick.

Who is at risk for flu complications?

If they get influenza, some people may end up on the hospital or possibly die because of flu-related complications. That is why annual flu shots are especially recommended for:

  • adults 65 years and older
  • children age 5 and younger
  • pregnant women.

The flu can also make chronic health problems worse. People with medical conditions like these should get an annual influenza vaccination:

  • asthma or lung disease
  • heart disease (but not high blood pressure)
  • kidney or liver disease
  • metabolic disease, like diabetes
  • anemia and other blood disorders
  • muscle or nerve disorders, such as seizure disorders or cerebral palsy, that can lead to breathing or swallowing problems
  • weakened immune system due to HIV/AIDS or other diseases, long-term treatment with steroids, cancer treatment
  • anyone 6 months through 18 years of age on long-term aspirin treatment (they could get Reye Syndrome).

Source: Allina Patient Education, Influenza, ic-ahc-14772 (10/10); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Minnesota Department of Health
Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts; Cindy Larson, infection preventionist, Mercy Hospital
First Published: 11/18/2009
Last Reviewed: 08/22/2011