Flu season is ramping up and we want our East Central Indiana community to stay as healthy as possible.
What to Know About Flu Season
- Most health insurance covers flu vaccines at low cost or no cost to you. Take advantage of this to help you circumvent contracting the flu during the 2024 – 2025 flu season.
- While just about everyone is a candidate to receive a flu vaccine, vaccines are particularly recommended for kids under 5, adults over 65, and anyone with a compromised immune system (typically due to medical conditions or medical treatments). The earlier you receive the vaccine the more protection you’ll have for the flu season.
- The average incubation period for influenza is 2 days, though it can be as short as one day and up to four days. This means that if you know you’ve been exposed to someone with the flu you may want to avoid contact with young kids, older adults and those that are immunocompromised. This helps limit the spread.
- Symptoms of the flu tend to come on quickly, especially fever. Additionally you may experience muscle and joint aches, headache, a general feeling of being unwell, and a cough, sore throat or runny nose.
- The timeline for the flu can vary slightly but expect to experience symptoms for around a week. Coughs may stick around for up to two weeks.
- There is no treatment for the flu, so any measure you take should be aimed at making you as comfortable as possible. Staying hydrated is important, so finding fluids you tolerate is helpful. Lots of rest will allow your body to spend its energy on healing. Medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce a fever temporarily and can address muscle soreness as well. Warm baths or showers can relax muscles and soothe a runny nose.
- If you are sick, you are at risk for transmitting the flu to those around you. Flu germs are most spread through coughing and sneezing, which allow tiny droplets to land on others within reach. Taking caution to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough and washing your hands thoroughly and regularly will help mitigate the spread this flu season.
Gateway Hancock Health provides the flu vaccine and would love to treat your whole family. While seeing your care provider is not typically needed with the flu, extreme illness may require medical attention. We hope you stay healthy this flu season. We’re here if you need us.
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