Don’t Mess Around with the Flu

Suffering from the flu is a costly and potentially dangerous experience, which is why getting vaccinated against the influenza virus is so important.

“Some people think the flu is like a common cold, but really, the flu is a lot worse than that,” said Raj Govindaiah, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Memorial Health System. “Anyone can suffer from serious complications of the flu, and the illness can last anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.”

Common symptoms of the flu include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue. Dr. Govindaiah cautions people not to believe the pervasive flu myth that vaccinations actually cause the flu.

“You can’t get the flu from the flu vaccine,” he said. “The injection contains dead vaccine. It can’t cause the flu. The inhaled nasal spray contains inactivated or weakened live virus and is also safe.”

To protect yourself from this year’s flu virus, visit your local healthcare provider for a flu vaccination as soon as possible.