Can you get the flu twice in one year or season?!
Question: Every time I've had the flu in the past, I've gotten it only once in a year, and normally it's in late winter. When I've had the flu in the past, it's been so severe I've had to go to the hospital.
This year, I am just now recovering from the flu... I did not have to go to the hospital... it seems the same as in years past, just not nearly as bad. Also, it's really early in the season for me to get the flu. Do you think that I can get it again this winter?
I'm worried because it really affects my ability to work (because I work with infants and children). Thanks in advance for any help or knowledge you have!
Answers: Every time I've had the flu in the past, I've gotten it only once in a year, and normally it's in late winter. When I've had the flu in the past, it's been so severe I've had to go to the hospital.
This year, I am just now recovering from the flu... I did not have to go to the hospital... it seems the same as in years past, just not nearly as bad. Also, it's really early in the season for me to get the flu. Do you think that I can get it again this winter?
I'm worried because it really affects my ability to work (because I work with infants and children). Thanks in advance for any help or knowledge you have!
You get a partial immunity that lasts usually the season from the same strain of flu that you got. But, sometimes there are multiple strains going around so you can still get it again. Your best protection is to get a flu shot. I've never gotten the flu since starting flu shots many years ago.
Yes I have. It happens often to me.
You can't get the same flu strain more than once, but you can get a different flu strain in the same year, and its remotely possible that a flu strain can mutate just enough to re-infect people that have already had it. In most years there are 2-4 different flu strains that occur. There's still time to get a flu shot.
unfortunately yes, you can get "flu like symptoms" twice in a year. even if you are diagnosed with influenza a you can still get the other strain influenza b later on. a lot of illnesses can mimic the flu but the only way to know for sure is to get tested. it is just a swab and they send it to lab. we have had positive cases of influenza this year. even if you get the flu shot i have had patents that get the flu again just not as bad as it could have been. there are a lot of different strains of viruses out there. they are pretty bad this year it seems. yes you can get sick again but try to keep your immune system strong and that will help. being a children's nurse i am around it all the time. try to not get it but still do sometimes. i take echinacea and vitamin c religiously. it really helps