Ask the Experts with Dr. Crupain: Can the flu cause serious health issues?

What's the difference between the flu, COVID-19, and a cold

12 things you should know about the flu shot

Avoid These Foods and Drinks When You Have the Flu

Why Does My Child Get Sick So Often?

Should Babies Get Flu Shots?

What Should I Do to Prepare for Flu Season?

If you're looking to avoid catching a cold here is the tips, first is wash your hands after you've touched any object, keep in mind that your hands are the best way for you to catch a cold when you put them in your nose, or your mouth or on eyes. So not only should you wash them, but you should keep them away from your face. 

The next thing is if you're sick, cough into your elbow or your sleeve, not into your hand because again you contaminate your hands then touch other surfaces and you get other people sick, also if you're sick stay home no one want you to come to work or school. Stay home so you don't spread your germs to other people, and then finally if you're out and about and you don't have access to water, use a good old hand sanitiser. 

  

How Can I Avoid Catching a Cold?

Some research suggests that the flu shot wears off more quickly in older people. But here&#39;s something you can do to counter that: Go for a walk.

In a study of older adults who weren&#39;t regularly active, those who started exercising three times a week had more antibodies from the shot -- and they kept those antibodies for longer than normal.

A Shot at Health 
Up to 25 percent of older adults don&#39;t get adequate protection from the flu, even though they receive a flu vaccine. That&#39;s because the immune systems of older adults don&#39;t respond as well to <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/vaccines-immunology/who-gets-flu-vaccine" target="_blank">flu vaccines</a>. No one really knows why, but dietary factors, underlying illness, immune system aging, prior vaccinations, and exposure to other flu viruses may all play a part in this decreased response.

Up Your Shot 
But in one study, people nearing their seventh decade engaged in either <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/flexibility-training" target="_blank">flexibility training</a> twice a week or stamina-building exercise -- including cycling, elliptical training, stair climbing, and brisk walking -- three times a week. Four months into training, everyone received a flu shot. Six months later, blood tests showed that those in the stamina-building group had continued immunity against the flu, while those in the flexibility exercise group did not. Researchers suspect cardiovascular exercise enhances antibody production or somehow interferes with antibody removal from the body.

Make Flu Shots Last Longer with This Trick

Try easing your coughing, sneezing, and sore throat with these smart at-home solutions.

4 Cold Remedies to Try Right Now

Don't pay high prices for extensive multitasking cough, and cold formulas, because they're going to target about 8 to 10 symptoms, and you might wind up feeling like a zombie anyway. What I would do is target a specific symptom that you're dealing with, and you might just pay 5 or 6 dollars for something like that. 

So to give you an example, or if you have a running nose, I would suggest an antihistamine, and if your nose is stuffed up, try a product that contains psuedoephedrine. Now, if it's a dry hacking cough that's keeping you up all night, quiet it down with dextromethorphan, you'll see that on the label as D. 

M., and if you got body aches, and pains, or feve, nor worries, look for pseudominophen or ibuprofen. These single agent ingredients could save you a lot of money in the pharmacy, and again when you avoid those major cough and cold symptom products that contain 8 or 10 ingredients, you're also going to feel a lot better. 

You're less likely to feel like a zombie. 
  

Is Multi-Symptom Cold Medicine More Effective Than Single-Symptom Medicine?

We&rsquo;ve all heard the advice to get the flu shot each fall. But is it really that important to do?

The short answer: yes. Here&rsquo;s what you need to know about the flu vaccine and why flu prevention is so essential.

The flu can be dangerous&mdash;even deadly 
While COVID-19 has quickly become the third-leading cause of death in the United States, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/infections/cold-flu/dangerous-flu-symptoms-never-ignore" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">influenza and its related complication pneumonia</a> killed almost 42,000 people in 2021.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of flu plummeted leading to what some experts have called a &ldquo;missed&rdquo; flu season for 2020 to 2021. Hospitalizations due to confirmed influenza were the lowest on record since 2005, when this type of information started to be collected.

Precautions against COVID-19 such as masking, frequent hand-washing, and physical distancing most likely contributed to this drop in flu cases. Increased vaccination may have also played a part, related to efforts by public health authorities to boost vaccination rates. While uptake of the flu vaccine has lagged in the past, people were 23 percent more likely to get a flu vaccine in 2020 compared to 2019, according to one study published in the journal Vaccine in 2022.&nbsp;

Still, experts have warned of a possible COVID-19/influenza &ldquo;twindemic,&rdquo; and expressed concerns about more severe flu seasons in the years to come. &nbsp;

Other factors may contribute to more severe flu seasons. Low levels of influenza transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic means that your body may not have had to fight off an influenza infection for some time. For some people, their immunity to influenza may have waned, making them more susceptible to the flu. Also, the same precautions that protect against COVID-19&mdash;including masking, frequent hand washing, and social distancing&mdash;also protect against influenza. As those ease up, the likelihood of a worse flu season may increase.

What is the flu vaccine? 
The flu vaccine remains the most effective way to prevent the flu and to protect your health and the health of your community. In seasons when the vaccine is well-matched to most circulating influenza viruses, getting a flu shot may decrease the risk of flu illness by 40 percent to 60 percent. The CDC estimates that during 2019 to 2020, the flu shot prevented about 7.5 million cases of the flu, 3.7 million visits to healthcare providers (HCPs), 105,000 hospitalizations, and 6,300 flu-related deaths.

Although the precise formulations of the vaccine change every year, the basic foundations of the vaccine remain constant. The shots are either made with flu viruses that have been inactivated, which means they&rsquo;re not infectious, or&mdash;in the case of recombinant flu vaccines&mdash;they&rsquo;re made without viruses at all. This means that you can&rsquo;t get the flu from any type of shot.

Depending on the year, both three-component or four-component vaccines may be available.

Three-component vaccines defend against three types of flu virus: an influenza A (H1N1), another influenza A (H3N2), and an influenza B virus. The four-component vaccines protect against these same viruses, plus an additional B virus. Your HCP will recommend you get either the three- or four-component vaccine depending on your age, the health of your immune system, allergies, and other factors. For adults over the age of 65, higher-dose vaccines may be recommended since they are stronger and more effective for people who have weakened immune systems.&nbsp;

During some years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended use of a nasal spray flu vaccine, also known as live attenuated (weakened) influenza vaccine, or LAIV. If you are between the ages of 2 and 49, you may be eligible to receive the nasal spray vaccine. People who fall outside this age range, are pregnant, who have weakened immune systems, and who have certain other medical conditions may not be able to receive this vaccine.

How is the flu vaccine selected? 
Because the flu virus is constantly changing, researchers reevaluate the expected strains each year. The exact components of the vaccine, therefore, may change from year to year. The World Health Organization (WHO) assembles a board of researchers from their own collaborating centers and other key laboratories&mdash;including the CDC and the Francis Crick Institute&mdash;to determine:

<ul>
	<li>Which viruses are making people sick</li>
	<li>How fast the viruses are spreading</li>
	<li>The effectiveness of the previous vaccine</li>
</ul>

Once this information has been presented and reviewed&mdash;usually in February of each year&mdash;the FDA makes the official vaccine decision for the U.S. After that, manufacturing companies begin creating the vaccine, a process that usually takes about six months. HCPs typically know what the vaccine will contain in August or September and can usually begin administering it at the beginning of October.

Who needs the shot? 
The CDC recommends that anyone six months or older get the flu vaccine. And for people who have an increased risk of flu-related complications&mdash;including those under five years of age, those over the age of 65, those in nursing homes or other care facilities&mdash;it&rsquo;s vital to adhere to flu vaccine recommendations.

Pregnant people should also get the flu shot during and after pregnancy. It can greatly reduce the risk of complications and protect your infant from illness for several months after birth. An infant is too young to be vaccinated but can still receive antibodies to the flu from its mother during pregnancy.

If you have the following conditions, it&rsquo;s also imperative to get a flu shot, because contracting the flu may worsen symptoms or lead to complications that require hospitalization:

<ul>
	<li>Asthma or chronic lung disease</li>
	<li>Neurological conditions or past stroke</li>
	<li>Heart disease</li>
	<li>Blood disorders</li>
	<li>Endocrine disorders such as diabetes</li>
	<li>Kidney or liver disorders</li>
	<li>Metabolic disorders</li>
	<li>Weakened immune system</li>
	<li>Obese with a BMI of 40 or higher</li>
</ul>

​There are some exceptions to the recommendations, though.

People who are under 6 months of age or who have had Guillain-Barr&eacute; Syndrome in the past should not receive the flu vaccine. (Guillain-Barr&eacute; is a rare disorder in which your immune system attacks nerve cells causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. Most people recover.)

Likewise, you shot not get the flu shot if you have had a severe allergic reaction in the past to it, or you are allergic to certain vaccine components like gelatin or certain antibiotics. And, while many flu vaccines are made using egg-based technologies, most people with egg allergies can still receive the flu vaccine without needing to be observed for an allergic reaction. If you have a severe egg allergy, talk with your HCP about the safest way for you to receive the vaccine.

The timing matters 
When should you get the flu shot? And is getting the shot at one time of year more effective than another?

In the ideal scenario, you&rsquo;d get the shot before the flu starts to spread each year. The CDC recommends getting your annual flu shot by the end of October. Because children age 6 months to 8 years who are getting vaccinated for the first time need two doses four weeks apart, it&rsquo;s a good idea to begin their vaccination process a bit earlier.

If you miss the earlier window, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/coronavirus/flu-shot-excuses-debunked" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">it&rsquo;s not too late</a>. You can still get vaccinated. It&rsquo;s better to get the flu shot than not, regardless of when you get it. It&rsquo;s important to know, though, that it can take about two weeks after you&rsquo;ve received the vaccine for your immune system to start helping protect you against the flu. During that time, consider taking precautions against the flu such as frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who are sick, especially if you are at risk for flu-related complications.

If you&rsquo;re unsure about whether or not to get the flu shot, check with your HCP. The vaccine can help protect your health and the health of those around you. An added convenience: You can get the flu vaccine and the COVID vaccine at the same time.

What You Need to Know About the Flu Shot

Get the facts&mdash;and forget the myths&mdash;so you can avoid the flu this season.

Cold and flu