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Cold and Flu Prevention

Protecting your family from the germs that cause colds and the flu is easier than you might think. Learn tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season.

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Flu Vaccine Primer

Flu vaccines offer the best protection against getting the flu. There are two types of vaccines: flu shots (injections) and nasal vaccine.

Flu Shots (Injections)

As recently as the 2009-2010 flu season, it was necessary to get one vaccine for seasonal flu and a separate one for H1N1 (Swine) flu. However, for the 2010-2011 flu season, CDC announced that most people with need just one shot to be protected against both seasonal and H1N1 flu.

  • Flu shots are made from dead viruses - making them safe for pregnant women and children from the age of 6 months and up.
  • CDC encourages anyone with asthma and anyone over 65 to get a flu shot.
  • Children from 6 months to 9 years who have never had a flu vaccine before will need two doses the first year. From then on, they will only need one does.

If you have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, a flu vaccine is not recommended.

Nasal Vaccine

The nasal vaccine is an excellent alternative to an injection - especially for those who shy away from needles.

However, certain people should not receive the nasal vaccine, and should get a tradition flu shot injection instead. This includes:

  • Children under the age of 2
  • People over the age of 50
  • Pregnant women
  • Those with certain health conditions like asthma, arthritis, HIV/AIDS. (Consult your healthcare provider if you have underlying health conditions)

Information on Vaccines and Vaccine Safety

For more on which vaccine might be right for you, check out the Vaccine: Flu Shot or Nasal Spray? Chart at flu.gov.

For Common Q&A about flu vaccines, visit CDC's Parents' Guide to Immunizations.

Pneumoccal Vaccine

The pneumococcal vaccine does not prevent the flu. However, many of those who have experienced serious complications from the flu have also become infection by streptococcus pneumonia, which is a major cause of pneumonia.

For this reason, CDC recommends a pneumococcal vaccination for:

  • Children under 5
  • People over 65

Ask your healthcare provider for more information.

Learn more about Streptococcal Disease in Germs 101.