Anyone exposed to the influenza virus can get the flu. The virus is contagious and can spread easily among people.Current guidelines from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that vaccination is recommended for anyone 6 months or older.¹ Although vaccination is recommended for everyone, some groups are at higher risk.² High-risk groups are typically defined as the elderly, young children, and people with certain chronic illnesses. All people who are in close contact with those who are considered "high risk" are advised to get vaccinated to help protect themselves and others.

Last year's vaccination is unlikely to protect you against influenza this year. One reason for this is that your immunity after vaccination declines over the year after vaccination. A second reason is that because influenza viruses change continually, each year's vaccine is reformulated to include currently circulating influenza virus strains. It is important to get vaccinated every year to help protect you and your loved ones against influenza.

A cold and the flu (influenza) are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. In general, influenza is worse than a cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Unlike influenza, colds generally do not result in serious health problems such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalization. No vaccine can yet prevent a cold, but the flu vaccine can help prevent influenza.

You cannot get influenza from the flu vaccine.

True: In the United States there are between 3,300-49,000 influenza-related deaths annually. Complications of influenza can include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and the worsening of chronic medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may experience sinus problems and ear infections.

A physician may have a high suspicion of influenza based on symptoms and a physical exam and the diagnosis can be confirmed by laboratory tests. The virus may be cultured from swabs of your deep nasal passages or throat, or blood tests may confirm a rise in your antibody to the virus, indicating a recent infection.

People who can transmit influenza to others at high risk for complications from influenza should get a yearly vaccination. This includes all healthcare workers (regardless of age), household contacts, and out-of-home caregivers for those at high risk for complications of influenza.

Although October and November are the recommended months for vaccination (because that is when the viruses begin to circulate), getting a shot later in the season (December through March) can still help protect you and your loved ones.

People often use the term "stomach flu" to describe illnesses with nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, but there are many other viruses, bacteria, or even parasites that are more likely the cause of these symptoms. While vomiting, diarrhea, and feeling nauseous or "sick to your stomach" can sometimes be related to influenza—particularly in children—these problems are rarely the main symptoms of influenza. The flu is a respiratory disease and not a stomach or intestinal disease.