Category: Flu Facts
What is stomach flu?
May 15, 2022 - The term “stomach flu” is NOT the same as “seasonal flu” which is caused by the influenza virus and has mostly respiratory symptoms. What people usually mean when they say “stomach flu” is gastroenteritis, which is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines, causing an acute onset of severe vomiting and diarrhea. […]
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Can Flu Cause Organ Failure?
April 28, 2022 - One of the most dangerous complications of flu is organ failure. Organ failure can happen when having the flu creates a domino effect. The flu can trigger other problems or exacerbate symptoms of a chronic condition. What might start out as the flu can quickly become sepsis, pneumonia, or inflammation of the heart, brain, or […]
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What is the Survival Rate of the Flu?
March 24, 2022 - Influenza and pneumonia combined are one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States. To answer the question of how many people survive the flu, we have to look at rates among different ages. The data: In the chart below, you can see that the majority of flu deaths occur in people […]
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Presidents, Infectious Diseases, and Vaccines
February 15, 2022 - Presidents’ Day is celebrated Monday, February 21, 2022. While we are celebrating during a pandemic, it’s fitting to discuss how our Presidents have dealt with infectious diseases and vaccines. Here are some historical facts about Presidents and their connections to flu and other vaccines: Franklin D. Roosevelt In 1909, Franklin and Eleanor’s son, Franklin Junior, died […]
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Do Surgical Masks Prevent Flu?
February 9, 2022 - Wearing a mask is something we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it can help with other viruses too. Today we’re looking at both sides of the equation for mask wearing. The first question most of us wonder about is: Will a mask prevent you from contracting the flu? The short answer is yes although […]
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How Many Types of Flu Viruses Exist?
February 9, 2022 - While there are technically 4 types of flu, there are also different subtypes. To start, let’s go over the four different types of flu viruses – A, B, C, and D: Influenza A: Influenza A viruses can be found in many different animals, including birds and mammals, as well as humans. These viruses are characterized by […]
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Can you Get Sick from a Flu Shot?
February 9, 2022 - There are two very common misconceptions about flu vaccines (and other vaccines as well). 1. The first is that they sometimes don’t work, meaning that a person gets vaccinated and then catches the flu anyway. While that is a disappointing outcome for the person who is now sick with the flu it doesn’t mean that […]
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Spanish Flu Deaths: Comparing Pandemics
February 1, 2022 - If you know a little history it’s almost impossible to ignore the Spanish flu death toll with the current COVID-19 pandemic. Today we’ll delve into 1918. We should start out by defining some terms. The ‘Spanish Flu’ is a bit of a misleading term. The flu pandemic of 1918 didn’t start in Spain and it […]
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FAQs: Can I Get My COVID-19 and Flu Vaccine at the Same Time?
April 8, 2021 - The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked questions about vaccines, including flu vaccines. Stay tuned as we share updates and answer common questions about the flu as it relates to COVID-19. Can I Get My Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines at the Same Time? Yes! While originally the CDC and others did not recommend getting any vaccine at […]
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FAQs: Is There More Than One Flu Virus?
February 18, 2021 - While the flu vaccine has been safely used for more than 50 years, there are still a lot of questions around the flu virus and the vaccines. In this post, we’ll answer common questions about the flu and flu shot from our Facebook and Twitter communities. Is there more than one flu virus? There are four types of […]
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