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Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Keep the flu away
(CNN) -- It is getting to be that time of year again -- the flu season is nearly upon us. For many, the flu can be very serious -- for others, it's deadly. Dr. Sanjay Gupta reminded us about the upcoming season and the need to be prepared in Monday's "House Call." He spoke with CNN anchor Bill Hemmer. GUPTA: The beginning of October, tomorrow, flu season sort of officially starts, and it peaks between January and March. So, this is the time of year to be talking about flu shots. We talk a lot about West Nile, we have talked a lot about anthrax over the year. The flu kills about 20,000 people a year. I can just put some of those numbers in perspective for you. Typically, the flu shot, given mostly before November 1, will protect you against some of the most common strains of the flu virus in any given season. There are many different strains of the flu. It constantly mutates, it changes itself. It's a very tricky virus. So, there are three strains that are going to be the most popular this year. They are called the Moscow, the New Caledonia, and the Hong Kong strains. Despite the flu shots, 20 to 50 percent of the nation's population will still get the flu. But one important thing is to distinguish between the flu and a cold. Cold symptoms typically are just upper respiratory symptoms -- runny nose, sniffling. The flu typically tends to be a lot more serious. Not only does it affect the upper respiratory system, but also the lower respiratory system. You get a very deep cough, things like that, but you also feel very wiped out. You get these fevers, muscle aches, headaches, severe malaise, which is just feeling very tired. Nonproductive cough, sore throat, and rhinitis, which is the itchiness of the nose. All of those may distinguish the flu from the cold. Regardless, the flu can also be a very contagious thing. You can be infectious up to five days after you have been exposed. HEMMER: How about prevention? We talk about a shot, we talk about what else? GUPTA: You have got to boost your immune system. You got to make sure you get plenty of sleep, you got to make sure to be eating a balanced diet -- not be out drinking too late, things like that. People have talked a lot about Vitamin C, echinacea, lozenges, all of those sorts of things. They do seem to help some people. Other people don't get any benefit at all. There haven't been very good studies on those. But there really is no substitute. Getting that flu shot is important because that will reduce your chances by about 34 percent of getting the flu. HEMMER: So who and when, then, when it comes to getting the shot? GUPTA: In the past, there have been vaccine shortages. So, because of that, people have sort of developed priorities of who should get the flu shots. They have talked about people over the age of 65, they have talked about people who have weakened immune systems and pregnant women. This year they say they are going to have more than enough flu vaccine. So really, everybody, even kids as young as 6 months old -- younger than 6 months, no -- but 6 months to 23 months, they certainly need to get their flu shots. So just about everybody is a candidate for this shot, Bill. ...(T)he flu shot is not absolutely going to protect you against getting the flu. It reduces your chances by about 34 percent, which, in the scheme of things, is quite a bit. Also, the most benefit from the flu shot is not going to come until about 14 days after you get the shot, so you want to get it early. You don't want to get it really in the midst of flu season. Get it now before flu season really begins. The flu shot is not a fool-proof method. You still have got to get plenty of sleep, which I know is hard for you getting up so early, not be out too late, and eat a balanced diet. All those things to try and boost your immune system. There is no substitute for that.
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