Healthy Aging Highlights

Information on healthy aging and more from the National Institute on Aging at NIH

Flu — the short name for influenza — is a virus that can cause fever, chills, sore throat, stuffy nose, headache, and muscle aches. While the flu is a mild illness for some people, for older people the flu can be very serious, even life-threatening. It can also be dangerous for people with health conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease.
 
Getting an annual flu vaccine lowers your chances of getting the flu and spreading it to your family or community. It can also protect you from becoming seriously ill, or hospitalized, if you do get sick with the flu. To ensure flu vaccines remain effective, the vaccine is updated every year. There are special flu shots designed specifically for people aged 65 and older, many of which are covered by Medicare and other private health insurance plans.
 
Learn more about the flu and ways to prevent it on NIA’s website.