Seasonal Influenza

Prevention, symptoms, and treatment of seasonal influenza (flu)

Prevention, Symptoms & Treatment

Learn about flu vaccinations, flu symptoms, and treatments

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season, especially those at high risk of flu complications, such as young children, adults 65 and older, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions.

Free Drive-Thru Flu Vaccine Clinics for Children 6 months – 18 years

The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) hosts free flu vaccine clinics for children ages six months – 18 years each fall. No appointments are necessary.

2025 Clinic Dates TBD

Prevent the Flu

The best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits can also help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu.

Health Habits to Protect Yourself & Others:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to prevent them from getting sick, too.
Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.
Cover your mouth and nose. When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. This may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu and other serious respiratory illnesses, like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), are spread by coughing, sneezing, or unclean hands.
Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
Practice other good health habits. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work, or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage stress, drink fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Flu Symptoms

The flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

Fever or feeling feverish/chills (not everyone with flu will have a fever)
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Muscle or body aches
Headaches
Fatigue (tiredness)
Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea – this is more common in children than adults

Most people who get the flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people may develop complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections due to the flu. Some of these complications can be life-threatening.

Flu Treatment

If you get the flu, antiviral drugs may be a treatment option. Check with your doctor promptly if you are at high risk of serious flu complications, and you get flu symptoms – the benefit of antiviral treatment is most significant if treatment starts within 2 days after illness onset. Antiviral drugs can lessen symptoms and shorten the time you are sick by 1 or 2 days. They can also prevent serious flu complications, like pneumonia. For people at high risk of serious flu complications, treatment with antiviral drugs can mean the difference between milder or more serious illness, possibly resulting in a hospital stay.

Most people with the flu have mild illnesses and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs. If you get sick with flu symptoms, you should stay away from others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. The CDC recommends staying home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, without using fever-reducing medicine. If you must leave home, for example, to get medical care, wear a face mask if you have one, or cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Wash your hands often to keep from spreading the flu to others.