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Get Your Flu Shot

For more information about Flu Season 2008-2009, flu shot availability for Harvard Vanguard patients and answers to common questions check here. Learn more.

Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has launched a statewide educational campaign for the general public for both seasonal influenza prevention and pandemic planning. Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates has joined the statewide educational campaign to educate you, our patient, and to:

  • increase your knowledge regarding similarities and differences between seasonal flu and pandemic flu;
  • increase your knowledge about how to prevent transmission of influenza in the home and community settings;
  • provide you with information and tools to care for persons with seasonal and pandemic influenza at home; and
  • help you understand the symptoms that indicate when to seek medical advice and when to seek medical care.

Influenza Definitions

Seasonal Flu: Seasonal flu is caused by influenza viruses that infect humans each year. An estimated 5 to 20 percent of the population in the United States contract influenza each year. Seasonal flu is characterized by the abrupt onset of fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and cough. It too can lead to more severe disease such as pneumonia. It can cause death in infants and people who are very old or have chronic health problems. It is an illness that can be transmitted person to person. most people have some immunity, and a vaccine is available.

For more information about Flu Season 2008-2009, flu shot availability for Harvard Vanguard patients and answers to common questions check here. Learn more.

Avian Flu: Avian flu or "bird flu" (AI) is caused by influenza viruses that occur naturally among wild birds. Low pathogenic AI is common in birds and causes few problems. Highly pathogenic H5N1 is deadly to domestic flwo, can be transmitted from birds to humans, and is deadly to humans. There is virtually no human immunity and human vaccine availability is very limited.

Pandemic Flu: Pandemic flu is a virulent human flu that causes a global outbreak, or pandemic, of serious illness. Pandemic flu is characterized by the abrupt onset of fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and cough. It often leads to more severe disease, such as pneumonia. Because there is little natural immunity, the disease can spread easily from person to person. Currently, there is no pandemic flu.

Resources

The following list includes links to a pamphlet and DVD, helpful forms, fact sheets, and links to on-line information from the mass.gov site, as well as the pandemicflu.gov site: