Flu Facts

• Flu symptoms include fever, headache, chills, body aches, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, and nasal congestion.
• Flu is spread when a person who has the flu coughs, sneezes, or speaks and sends the flu virus into the air. The virus enters the nose, throat or lungs of a person and multiplies.
• If you get the flu: rest, drink plenty of liquids, and avoid alcohol and tobacco.
  Antibiotics like penicillin will not cure the flu. The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot.

Information for School-Age Children

• Do NOT give aspirin to a child or teenager who has the flu. To learn why, please visit: www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/flu.htm
• Most antihistamines cause sleepiness. If a child still has a stuffy nose when he/she returns to school, parents may want to ask their child’s doctor to prescribe a non-sedating antihistamine.
• Encourage children to cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing, wash hands frequently, and keep hands away from eyes, nose and mouth.
• A sick child is advised to stay at home during the first days of illness when symptoms are most severe and the infection is most contagious. Children can return to school when symptoms are improving and no fever has been detected for 24 hours.
• Wash hands several times a day using soap from a dispenser, not a bar, with warm water for 15-20 seconds (this is generally around the time it takes to sing the ABC’s.) Dry hands with paper towels or automatic hand dryers if possible.

• What is avian influenza (bird flu)?

Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

• Do bird flu viruses infect humans?

Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but several cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997.

• What are the symptoms of bird flu in humans?

Symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases (such as acute respiratory distress), and other severe and life-threatening complications. The symptoms of bird flu may depend on which virus caused the infection.

• What is the risk to humans from bird flu?

The risk from bird flu is generally low to most people because the viruses occur mainly among birds and do not usually infect humans. However, during an outbreak of bird flu among poultry (domesticated chicken, ducks, turkeys), there is a possible risk to people who have contact with infected birds or surfaces that have been contaminated with excretions from infected birds. For more information about avian influenza and food safety issues, visit the World Health Organization.