What is Influenza?
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death. There are two main strains of influenza, type A and type B, which are both responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year. Those who are at a higher risk of catching this virus include people who are already immune compromised, elderly, pregnant women, and children.
Where is it Found?
What Does it Infect?
How Does it Spread?
Preventing the Spread of Influenza
Most experts think that flu virus spreads mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby, or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.
For Individuals
The CDC recommends taking the following preventative measures:
- Get the flu vaccine by the end of October each year (everyone 6 months of age and older). Vaccination may reduce the severity and duration of flu illness.
- Take everyday preventative actions:
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.
- Disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated.
- Note: If sick with flu, stay home for 24 hours after your fever is gone (without the use of fever-reducing medicine), except to get medical care or other necessities.
- Take antiviral drugs if prescribed, since they can help make your illness milder, shorten its lifespan, and prevent serious complications.
For Public Places
Facilities that are part of daily life and see large numbers of people should take part in the following preventative actions:
- Regularly disinfect high-contact surfaces.
- Install mechanical ventilation, room air cleaners, or some device that introduces room air changes — like UV disinfection. Our Benefits of UV-C blog post compares the cost and efficiency of these different methods.
Get More Protection with UV Disinfection
In addition to regular preventative measures, Germicidal Ultraviolet (UV-C) air and surface disinfection can inactivate Influenza types A and B in various locations where the risk of cross-infection is high, like hospitals, healthcare facilities, offices, schools, and auditoriums. Shop our products at AtlanticUltraviolet.comopen_in_new.
Learn about these applications:
View all UV-C Application Pages.
Our germicidal lamps produce ultraviolet wavelengths at 254 nanometers, the region of maximum germicidal effectiveness. Read our FAQ blog post to learn more. See dosage data below.
Influenza Classification & UV Dose for Inactivation
| Organism: | Type: | Disease: | UV Dose*: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Influenza | Virus | Flu | 6.60 mJ/cm2 |
* Nominal Ultraviolet dosage necessary to inactivate better than 99% of microorganisms. See sources below.
Influenza Symptoms
People with flu are most contagious in the first three to four days after their illness begins. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children and some people with weakened immune systems may pass the virus for longer than 7 days.
- Fever or chills (Not everyone with flu will have a fever.)
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
Sources on Influenza
The above information can be found on the following pages.
- CDC: About Fluopen_in_new
- CDC: How Flu Spreadsopen_in_new
- CDC: Flu Symptoms & Diagnosisopen_in_new
- NIH: Aerosol Susceptibility of Influenza Virus to UV-C Lightopen_in_new
Dosage Source
Sensitivity of Bacteria, Protozoa, Viruses, and Other Microorganisms to Ultraviolet Radiation. Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Volume 126, Article No. 126021. August 20, 2021.
Learn More, Shop & Contact Our Specialists
Since 1963, we’ve been engineering and manufacturing germicidal ultraviolet equipment to neutralize harmful microorganisms in water, in air, and on surfaces. Visit these helpful pages:
Shop at AtlanticUltraviolet.com
- Shop UV-C Water & Liquid Disinfectionopen_in_new
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Contact Us
- Call (631) 273-0500, Monday – Friday 7am to 6pm EST
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