People at High Risk
Most people who get the flu will have mild illness and recover within a few days to two weeks. But others, especially those in the high risk categories below, face more serious complications such as pneumonia and even death.
- Children younger than 5 years old, especially younger than2 years old
- Adults 65 years of age and older
- Pregnant women
- American Indians and Alaska Natives
- People who have medical conditions including:
- Neurological and neuro-developmental conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability (mental retardation), moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury].
- Chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and cystic fibrosis)
- Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
- Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
- Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
- Kidney disorders
- Liver disorders
- Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
- Weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer, or those on chronic steroids)
- People younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
- People who are morbidly obese (Body Mass Index, or BMI, of 40 or greater)
If you or a loved one falls into one of these high risk categories, talk to your healthcare provider about getting the two flu vaccine and other ways to stay healthy.
Symptoms of Seasonal Influenza
Influenza can cause mild to severe respiratory illness and can even lead to death.
The flu is different from the common cold. If you get the flu you will probably experience one or more of these symptoms about 48 to 72 hours after contact with the virus:
- Fever (usually high)
- Headache
- Extreme tiredness
- Dry cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle aches
- Occasionally, stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
See these CDC resources on people at risk for flu complications:
- The Flu: Caring for Someone Sick at Home
- People with Health Conditions and the Flu This resource includes guidelines for people with asthma, diabetes, cancer, HIV-AIDS, and heart disease.
- If You Have Diabetes, a Flu Shot Could Save Your Life (pdf)
Urgent Warning Signs
If these symptoms occur, seek medical attention immediately:
In adults:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting.
In children:
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash.
Take These Steps in a Flu Outbreak
- Get a written record of the kind of chronic disease(s) you have and the treatment you are receiving. Keep this information with you at all times.
- Prepare a typed or printed list of all medications usually taken and the times of day they are taken. Also include necessary medical supplies or equipment such as syringes, strips, lancets if you have diabetes, or oxygen if you have COPD
- Keep the name, phone number, and office address of your doctor or health care provider with you at all times.
- If you use medications for your condition, continue taking those medications even if you become sick with the flu, unless your doctor or health care provider says otherwise
- Be alert to changes in your breathing, especially if you have heart failure, congestive heart disease or COPD. Promptly report changes to your doctor or health care provider
- Inform family members or close friends of your medical condition
Flu Vaccines
Getting vaccinated is your best protection the flu.
People who are in greater danger of life-threatening health problems from the flu, should get vaccinated as soon as possible. If you have a chronic health condition, this includes you.
To learn where you can get flu vaccines in your community, see DHEC’s Flu Vaccine Clinic Finder.
The CDC also urges anyone who lives or works closely with an at-risk person to get vaccinated as soon as possible. So if you or a loved one has existing health problems, it's a good idea for everyone in the home to be vaccinated for the flu.
These Groups Need Flu Vaccines the Most
The CDC identified certain groups of people who are particularly susceptible to influenza viruses. SCDHEC urges all South Carolinians to get influenza vaccines.
The following persons should seek an influenza vaccine as soon as possible:
- All persons aged >50 years
- All children aged 6 months to 4 years (59 months)
- Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except isolated hypertension), renal, hepatic, neurological, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)
- Adults and children who are immunosuppressed (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus
- Women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season
- Children and adolescents (aged 6 months-18 years) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and therefore might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- American Indians/Alaska Natives
- Persons who are morbidly obese (BMI>40)
- Healthcare personnel
- Household contacts and caregivers of children aged <5 years and adults aged >50 years, with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children aged <6 months
- Household contacts and caregivers of persons with medical conditions that put them at high risk for severe complications from influenza.
Get updates on vaccine availability in South Carolina, learn more about vaccine safety, and find a flu vaccine clinic in your local area.
Also see these CDC resources on flu vaccines:
- Flu Myths and Realities
- Vaccines and Immunizations for Pregnant Women
- Children, the Flu, and the Flu Vaccine
Everyday Flu Prevention
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. Wash them for as long as it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Stay home if you are sick until you have been symptom-free without taking fever reducing medicine for 24 hours.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Eat a healthy diet, exercise and get plenty of rest.
Treating the Flu
Whether your symptoms are mild or severe, if you get the flu, see your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can give you antiviral medications to help you recover faster and lower your risk of passing the virus on to others.
If you’re caring for someone who has the flu:
- Never give aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) to children or teenagers who have the flu; this can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye’s syndrome.
- Frequently wipe down commonly touched surfaces like stairway railings, telephones, and door handles. Other than that, follow your normal housekeeping routine.
- See the CDC’s “The Flu: Caring for Someone Sick at Home”
Flu Information in Other Languages:
If, after reading the information available on our website, you have questions about the vaccine,
please call 1-800-27SHOTS (1-800-277-4687).
