2019 Flu News For Las Vegas
Holidays are over, it’s time to protect yourself from the Flu!
Las Vegas Guide to Seasonal Flu for 2019 Seniors
While the flu has similar symptoms as a the common cold—sore throat, cough, and a runny nose—the flu can result in far more devastating consequences. This is especially true among seniors, who can experience hospitalization or even death. Between 2010 and 2016, a range of 12,000 to 56,000 people died every year because of the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many of them were people over the age of 65.The flu is preventable, too, with vaccines and other preventative measures, so let’s discuss exactly what the flu is, what it looks like, how it spreads, and how seniors can protect themselves from the virus.
There are three main types of influenza viruses:
Influenza A
This is the most common type of influenza that causes basically all of the flu epidemics (localized spreading of diseases) and pandemics (worldwide spreading of a disease) around the world. This version of influenza can infect humans and animals (like pigs), and it is often found in wild birds as well, which carry the disease across continents. Influenza A has caused many of the flu pandemics in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Influenza B
Along with influenza A, influenza B helps make up most of the infected population every year (about 20 percent). This strand only survives in humans (and seals), so it is passed along among us homo-sapiens.
Influenza C
The mildest of the three main forms of influenza viruses, influenza C is passed around among humans and swine. No epidemics are caused by influenza C, which explains why it’s not prevented with a flu vaccine.
Once contracted, the flu affects your nose, throat, and occasionally dives down into your lungs.
Some symptoms of the flu include:
- Constant cough
- Runny nose
- Fever (for seniors, a body temperature above 101 degrees Fahrenheit), though this may not always occur
- Sore throat
- Chills
- Muscle cramps or aches
- Headaches
- Stomach issues that may result in diarrhea or vomiting
Source: https://www.aging.com/a-guide-to-the-seasonal-flu-for-seniors/
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