Northern California Partnership for Influenza Prevention

THE FLU:

What You Should Know

• More than 36,000 people in the United States die every year from influenza (“the flu”) or complications from the flu. The flu vaccine saves lives.

• The flu is a virus.

• It is spread from person to person, from coughs, sneezes and hand-to-hand contact.

• Adults over 50 years of age, children ages 6 months to 18 years of age, all people with chronic disease such as diabetes or asthma, pregnant women, and those household members or caregivers who live with and take care of these at-risk individuals should especially get the flu shot every year.

• You must get the flu vaccine every year to be protected. Once you receive the flu vaccine it will take approximately 2 weeks for the vaccine to be effective in fighting the flu.

• The flu vaccine will not give you the flu.

• Other than getting the flu shot, you can protect yourself and others by covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing and washing your hands often. And, do not leave your home unless absolutely necessary when you know you have the flu.

• If you are healthy, between the ages of 2 & 49, and would rather not receive a     

    flu shot, you can be vaccinated using Flu Mist®. Flu Mist® is a live-virus

    vaccine sprayed into the nose, and cannot give you the flu.

• To find flu vaccine locations, please call the Sacramento County Immunization

Program at (916) 875-7053, InfoLine Sacramento at (916) 498-1000, or visit our web site at www.SCPH.com.