What’s Your Influenza IQ?
Achoo! Flu season is upon us and now is the time to take the family for their flu vaccines, whether they want them or not. As you sit in the clinic lobby waiting for your turn for the vaccine, test your knowledge of precautions, symptoms and immunizations to for the influenza virus. You may be surprised to find what you know (and what you don’t know).
1) If you have the flu, what are your symptoms?
- Fever
- Body aches and tiredness
- Dry cough
- Common cold symptoms like runny nose, sore throat and sneezing.
- All of the above.
2) How many flu vaccine types are available during the flu season?
- One
- Two
- Three
- None, just take your chances.
3) How long does it take for a flu vaccine to start protecting your body?
- Two weeks
- A month
- A couple of days
- Instantly
4) When is the flu season most active?
- May
- October
- January and February
- Flu season is active year-round.
5) True or False: Men are in hospital emergency rooms in Polk County more than women for influenza and/or pneumonia.
6) What percentage of Polk County adults 65+ get their flu vaccine for the year?
- 50 percent
- 62.1 percent
- 39.5 percent
- 75 percent
7) How can you prevent getting the flu each day?
- Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose and mouth when possible.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your shirt sleeve to prevent spreading of germs.
- Stay away from people with the flu and stay home if you feel you have the flu.
- All of the above.
8) Where can you get a flu vaccine?
- Doctor’s offices
- Health departments
- Pharmacies
- All of the Above
9) True or False: The flu changes each season.
10) How many vaccines will be produced for the 2012-2013 flu season?
- 150 million
- 10 million
- 147 million
- 1 million
Resources: The information and statistics in this quiz were compiled from Healthy Tampa Bay and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention websites.
ANSWERS:
Answer 1: E) All of the above. Fever, body aches, extreme fatigue and dry cough are more common for the flu but it is not uncommon for the flu to also have cold symptoms too.
Answer 2: B) Two. The flu shot is a needle-administered vaccine that releases a dead flu virus into the body and is for healthy people six months or older. The nasal-spray flu vaccine is administered through nasal spray in the nose and is a live but weak flu virus for healthy people age 2-49.
Answer 3: A) Two weeks. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website, the vaccine antibodies take two weeks to fully protect you against the flu virus. Until then, you could get the virus.
Answer 4: C) January and February. Typically January and February (even into early spring) can be the peak of flu season but the season can start as early as October and end as late as May.
Answer 5: False. Women, as specified by the Healthy Tampa Bay website, are shown at 12.6 percent rate compared to men’s 7.9 percent rate (per 10,000 in population) in ER visits for the flu.
Answer 6: B) 62.1 percent. Flu cases are more dangerous for the elderly, young children and those with compromised immune systems.
Answer 7: E) All of the above. If people take these precautions each day during the flu season, germs won’t spread as quickly to you or others around you.
Answer 8: D) All of the Above.
Answer 9: True. Each season is different in influenza viruses and vaccine types. Research also shows that our immune systems become less equipped to combat the flu over time.
Answer 10: C) 147 million. The website for the Center of Disease Control and Prevention project between 146 and 149 million vaccine doses will be manufactured this season.