Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Influenza, or the flu, is a highly contagious and infectious respiratory disease. The flu causes fever, sore throat, tiredness, sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, nausea, vomiting, and muscle pain. Complications of the flu can result in trouble breathing, convulsions, seizures, and pneumonia.

The flu can spread through coughing and sneezing. You can become infected by coming in close contact with someone sick with the flu. You can also become infected by touching objects that someone with the flu has touched, and then touching your eyes or mouth.

Anyone can get infected by the the flu with the following populations being most at risk: children under 5 years of age, pregnant people, people with chronic conditions (such as: heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, blood disorders diabetes, severe obesity, asthma and chronic lung disease, neurological disorders, cancer or immune-compromising conditions), indigenous communities, people 65 years of age and older and people who are residents of nursing homes or other chronic-care facilities.

Check out our resources on influenza immunization and share with your network!