Jasmine Espinoza

ISM- Period 7

Staff, Mayo Clinic. “Influenza (Flu).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and

Research, 5 Oct. 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/symptoms-

causes/syc-20351719.

• Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system which include; your
nose, throat and lungs.
• The best defense against influenza is to receive an annual vaccination.
• The flu may seem like a common cold with a runny nose, sneezing and sore throat.
• Flu viruses travel through the air in droplets. So basically, when someone with the
infection coughs, sneezes or talks into the air someone without the disease can contract it.
• You can inhale the droplets directly, or you can pick up the germs from an object.
• Children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for a slightly
longer time than people with stronger immune systems.
• People who live or work in facilities along with many other residents, such as nursing
homes or military barracks, are more likely to get the flu.
• The CDC and Prevention recommends annual flu vaccination for everyone over the age
of 6 months.
• The most commonly used test is called a rapid influenza diagnostics test, which looks for
substances (antigens) on a swab sample from the back of the nose or throat.
• In most cases you'll need nothing more than bed rest and plenty of fluids to treat the flu.
• The flu usually goes away in a week or two with no lasting effects.
• But, some people may develop complications such as; Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Asthma
flare-ups, Heart problems, and Ear infections.
• People with the virus are likely contagious from the day or so before symptoms first
appear until about five days after symptoms begin.
• “Common signs and symptoms of the flu include; fever over 100.4 F (38 C), aching
muscles, especially in your back, arms and legs, chills and sweats, headache, dry,
persistent cough, fatigue and weakness, nasal congestion, and sore throat.” (Mayo Clinic
Staff)
• “People at higher risk of developing flu complications include; young children under 5,
and especially those under 2 years, adults older than 65, residents of nursing homes and
other long-term care facilities, pregnant women and women up to two weeks postpartum,
people with weakened immune systems, people who have chronic illnesses, such as
asthma, heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes, and people who are very obese, with a
body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher.” (Mayo Clinic Staff)

This source went very in depth about what the virus influenza really is, how you can contract it,
who is at risk, how you can prevent it, and what you should do if you contract it.
 Jasmine Espinoza
ISM- Period 7

“Influenza (Flu).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, 8 Feb. 2018, www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/infantcare.htm.

• Children under the age of 5 are at risk for serious flu complications
• To prevent the flu CDC recommends that everyone 6 and older receives a flu shot every
year.
• Some extra precautions to protect yourself and your children keep away from sick people.
• Try to prevent touching things that can be contaminated with the virus.
• Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing.
• Wash your hands.
• Regularly clean surfaces that you may think can be contaminated
• Antiviral drugs can be used to treat the influenza virus.
• “Treating people who are very sick with flu or who have a high-risk factor with flu
antiviral drugs can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus a very
serious illness that could result in a hospital stay.” (CDC and Prevention)
• Flu viruses mainly spread by droplets through the air.
• You can breathe in the viruses from u to 6 feet away.
• “Treating people who are very sick with flu or who have a high-risk factor with flu
antiviral drugs can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus a very
serious illness that could result in a hospital stay.” (CDC and Prevention)
• If your children are under 2 years of age and not vaccinated they are highly vulnerable
and susceptible to the flu.
• “Treating people who are very sick with flu or who have a high-risk factor with flu
antiviral drugs can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus a very
serious illness that could result in a hospital stay.” (CDC and Prevention)

This source described mainly the importance of receiving our flu shot, some symptoms of the
influenza virus, and I learned that even if you are six feet away from someone who has the flu
you can still contract it.
 Jasmine Espinoza
ISM- Period 7

“Vaccines and Side Effects: The Facts.” HealthyChildren.org, 21 Nov. 2015,

healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/Vaccines-And-Side-

Effects-The-Facts.aspx.

• The article discusses how certain vaccines can cause the infant to get diseases form the
vaccine.
• They linked diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine to sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS).
• The vaccine is given for 2-month-old infants because that’s when a lot of SIDS is going
around.
• Back in the 1980’s DTP virus was being given out and some infants contracted SIDS.
• “Although critics have claimed that hepatitis B immunizations can cause or trigger a
relapse of multiple sclerosis, the IOM safety committee could find no scientific support
for this theory. The same report also concluded that there is no evidence that the hepatitis
B vaccine causes other types of nervous system problems, including Guillain-Barre
syndrome.” (HealthyChildren.org)
• People think that Autism is highly linked to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR).
• “in 2001 and again in 2004, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Immunization Safety
Review Committee, an independent body of experts who have no conflict of interest with
pharmaceutical companies or organizations that make vaccine recommendations, studied
a possible MMR-autism link and found no evidence supporting such a connection.”
(HealthyChildren.org)
• Some vaccines include mercury containing preservative called thimerosal.
• “. Critics have argued that thimerosal-containing vaccines are the cause of a number of
neurologic and developmental disorders, ranging from autism to attention-
deficit/hyperactivity disorder and speech and language delays.” (HealthyChildren.org)

This source went over the reason why parents are scared to give their kids vaccines dur to thing
like these diseases happening, it was very eye-opening and I’ll use it in my PowerPoint
presentation.