Influenza (flu) causes an average of 36,000 deaths and 226,000 hospitalizations per year in the U. S. To stay healthy and strong, VA encourages all veterans who are eligible to get vaccinated for flu at their local VA health care facility each year.  This year there are two vaccines: one for seasonal flu and one for H1N1 flu. Learn more about flu vaccination.

Key Facts about Flu

• Outbreaks of seasonal flu occur each year, mostly in winter.
• The viruses that cause seasonal flu are like the ones from the past few years. That's why many people can fight off the illness.
• It takes about two days to get sick after contact with seasonal flu viruses. A person can start to spread flu to others about one day before they feel sick, and up to five days after becoming sick.
• Not all people who get sick will need to go to the hospital, so there is space for those who are really sick.
• Healthy adults usually don't get very sick. The very young, the elderly, and people with chronic health problems could get extremely ill. Chronic health conditions include:
  • Asthma
  • Kidney disease
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Lung disease
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • A weakened immune system
  • HIV