Along with all the wonderful things about Minnesota in the fall including cooler temperatures, colorful fall leaves, and great outdoor time, comes a negative – flu season. 

Flu season typically runs from October through April here in Minnesota, and this year, with the COVID-19 outbreak coinciding with flu season, it is especially important to do your part to prevent a large flu outbreak. Influenza (flu) is a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system including the nose, throat, and lungs. Although, the illness is usually mild to moderate, but can sometimes be severe, even fatal. Importantly, it is NOT the same as the "stomach flu." 

Symptoms of the Flu

Symptoms include the following: high fever, cough, very tired, sore throat, headache, chills, runny or stuffy nose, body or muscle aches, shortness of breath. Rare symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea.  You can infect others 1 day before your symptoms appear and up to 7 days after becoming sick. Symptoms usually show up 1 to 4 days after you've been exposed. Many of the symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 are similar. The loss of taste or smell is particular to COVID-19. If you are sick, doctors can test to see which one you have.  Click here to learn more about the differences between a cold, the flu, and COVID-19 symptoms.

Who is at Risk?

  • Young children, especially under 2 years of age
  • People over 65 years of age 
  • Nursing home and long-term care facility residents 
  • Pregnant women 
  • People with chronic illnesses like diabetes, asthma, or heart, kidney, or liver disease 
  • Native American Indian 

What to Do If You Have the Flu

  • Stay home and avoid spreading it to others 
  • Don't return to work, school, or daycare until you are fever free for 24 hours 
  • Drink extra fluids and run a humidifier if the air is dry in your house 
  • Wash your hands and cover your cough 
  • Treat headaches, fever over 100 or body aches with acetaminophen or ibuprofen 
  • Use cough drops and drink warm liquids
  • Tamiflu is a medication used to lessen flu symptoms and can shorten the recovery time. It does not prevent the flu. You must have symptoms and it has to be given in the first 48 hours of your symptoms. It is usually only given to high-risk patients.   

When to See the Doctor

  • Flu like symptoms that improve, but then return with a fever and a worse cough 
  • Young children, pregnant women, adults 65+ and people with chronic medical conditions including asthma, COPD or diabetes are more likely to have complications from the flu 
  • Earache or fever more than three days 

How to Reduce the spread of the Flu

  • Schedule your flu shot every year
  • Wash hands regularly with soap and water 
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth    
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue 
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces 
  • Avoid crowds and practice social distancing 
  • Avoid those who are sick 
  • If you are sick, stay home 
  • Wear a mask when around others outside your household 

Get Your Flu Shot

The most important way to prevent the flu is to get the flu shot yearly. This year it is especially important to get vaccinated to help prevent you from getting the flu, and prevent you from passing it on to others who could get severely sick. With COVID-19 and the flu likely spreading at the same time, lessening the number of flu cases will help keep health care providers and hospitals from being overloaded. This year's flu vaccines are quadrivalent, which means they are designed to protect against four different flu viruses.  

Some common questions and answers:

  • When should you get vaccinated? The CDC recommends getting the shot ideally before the end of October, but you can get the shot any time during flu season. 
  • Is it safe for pregnant women? Yes, the CDC recommends that all women who are pregnant during flu season get a flu shot. 
  • Should children get the flu shot? Children over 6 months of age should get the shot.
  • What if you have allergies? The flu shot is safe for those with most allergies. Be sure to discuss with your provider if you have had any severe reactions to shots in the past. 
  • Can you get the flu from the shot? No. Some people have a mild fever or discomfort after shot, but that is a sign your body is responding to the treatment.  
  • Can I get flu shot and covid-19 shot at the same time? Yes, it is okay to get both shots at the same time.  

Call your local Perham Health clinic to schedule your flu shot appointment.

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Rayna Bergseth, DNP
Perham Health Family Medicine