(Camden, New Jersey) With influenza (“the flu”) season just around the corner, people are encouraged to get their influenza vaccine as soon as possible.
Influenza (“the flu”) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness and can lead to death. National statistics show that on average 5 to 20 percent of the population of the United States gets the flu each year and that more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications. About 36,000 die from flu and its complications each year in the United States. Symptoms of the flu include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, and muscle aches. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea also can occur but are more common in children than in adults.
