influenza

People 6 months and older should get vaccinated against the flu, says this government poster on display in a health center in Decatur, Ga.

Health & Safety

Spot Shortages Of Antiviral Drugs Seen As Flu Season Drags On

2:53pm February 09, 2018

by Richard Harris

Flu drugs recommended for vulnerable people, including young children and the elderly, are getting hard to find in some parts of the country, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Undergraduate Shira Rubin gamely demonstrates the Gesundheit machine, which collects samples of virus from the breath that sick students exhale. Rubin helps Dr. Somayeh Youssefi (left) set up the machine before patients use it.

When The Flu Hits Campus, The Gesundheit Machine Will Be Ready

4:29pm February 02, 2018

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

It's a particularly harsh flu season. In the close quarters of dorm rooms and cafeterias and study groups, the flu will come to college campuses. And when it does, one scientist will be ready.

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A doctor and nurse confer inside a room used for flu patients at Northside Hospital in Cumming, Ga. The U.S. government's latest flu report, released Friday, showed flu season continued to intensify, with high volumes of flu-related patient traffic in 42

CDC: Flu Season Getting Even Worse, Especially For Children

3:35pm February 02, 2018

by Richard Harris

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu hospitalizations are the highest since the CDC started tracking those numbers, and we may only be halfway through the season.

A review of the evidence suggests that alerting people — by text, phone call or other method — when they're due or overdue to get a particular vaccination can boost immunization rates.

Got Your Flu Shot Yet? Consider This A Reminder

7:11am January 29, 2018

by Patti Neighmond

A research review suggests reminding people when their vaccinations are due or overdue increases the number of people who get immunized.

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Flu Season Rages On, Hitting Baby Boomers Unusually Hard

2:52pm January 26, 2018

Flu is widespread throughout the country, according to latest federal numbers. Those 65 and older are the most affected, but baby boomers are ending up in the hospital at an unusually high rate.

The body's under a lot of stress during a bout of flu, doctors say. Inflammation is up and oxygen levels and blood pressure can drop. These changes can lead to an increased risk of forming blood clots in the vessels that serve the heart.

Flu Virus Can Trigger A Heart Attack

5:51pm January 24, 2018

by Allison Aubrey

The rate of hospitalizations due to influenza is continuing to rise. Now, a study finds the risk of having a heart attack also spikes in the days after a confirmed diagnosis of flu.

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Activity levels are based on the percent of outpatient visits in a state due to influenza-like illness (ILI) and are compared with the average percent of ILI visits that occur during weeks with little or no influenza virus circulation.

Flu Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Nasty One, CDC Says

6:02pm January 12, 2018

by Rob Stein

The flu season started early this year and is already widespread throughout the country and intense in dozens of states. But it's not too late to get that flu shot, officials say.

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As flu cases mount in California, the state's health department recommends vaccination for all people 6 months and older.

What You Need To Know About This Year's Flu Season

8:44pm January 09, 2018

by Barbara Feder Ostrov

In California, the flu has struck early and hard this season. Health experts aren't sure why. The state's higher temperatures typically result in a later flu peak there than in other parts of the U.S.

You'd be doing us and yourself a favor if you'd just stay in bed.

It's Not Just A Cold, It's 'Sickness Behavior'

11:51am January 06, 2018

by Nancy Shute

Feeling grumpy and antisocial because you've got a cold? That's not just a random side effect. It's your body saying, "Hey, slow down and rest so you can get better."

Health workers killed chickens in a Hong Kong market in 2014 in an effort to stop the spread of H7N9 flu. It's being watched closely as a virus that might spark a pandemic outbreak.

NIH Lifts Ban On Research That Could Make Deadly Viruses Even Worse

11:12pm December 19, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

After an unusual three-year moratorium, the federal government says it will once again allow research on deadly viruses that could spark pandemics. The work has sparked concerns about bioterrorism.

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