Beware, it’s the flu season

REALITY: WHILE MOST PEOPLE CAN TREAT THEMSELVES AT HOME, OTHERS MUST SEE DOCTOR

Winter months means the season for the flu. It’s the best time to get flu shots.

Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system – your nose, throat and lungs. Most people who get the flu can treat themselves at home and often do not need to see a doctor.

If you have flu symptoms and are at risk of complications, see your doctor right away. For most people, influenza heals itself. But sometimes, influenza and its complications can be deadly.

PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK INCLUDE:

Children under 5 years old Adults older than 65 Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities Pregnant women and women up to two weeks after giving birth People with weakened immune systems, such as HIV positive patients and diabetics People who have chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease

SYMPTOMS

It usually presents like a common cold with a runny nose, sneezing and sore throat. Other common signs and symptoms include: Fever over 380C and chills with sweating Sore throat Aching muscles, especially in your back, arms and legs Chills and sweats Dry, persistent cough Fatigue and weakness Nasal congestion

CAUSES

When someone with flu coughs, sneezes, laughs or talks, the flu viruses travel through the air in droplets.

Then you inhale the droplets directly or you can pick up the germs from an object that you touch and then transfer them to your eyes, nose or mouth.

People with the virus are likely contagious from the day or so before symptoms first appear, until about five days after symptoms begin – though sometimes people are contagious for as long as 10 days after symptoms appear.

Influenza viruses are constantly changing, with new strains appearing regularly. If you have had influenza in the past, your body has already made antibodies to fight that particular strain of the virus.

Therefore, if you are exposed to influenza viruses that are similar to those you have encountered before, either by having the disease or by vaccination, then you are protected from the infection or its severity will be less.

COMPLICATIONS

If you are young and healthy, seasonal influenza usually is not serious. Although you may feel miserable while you have it, the flu usually goes away in a week or two with no lasting effects. But high-risk children and adults may develop complications such as: Pneumonia Bronchitis Asthma flare-ups Heart problems Ear infections Pneumonia is the most serious complication. For older adults and people with a chronic illness, pneumonia can be deadly.

TREATMENT

Usually, you’ll need nothing more than bed rest and plenty of fluids to treat the flu. But, in some cases, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication, anaelgesics for headache and myalgia, and some vitamins. If taken soon after you notice symptoms, these drugs may shorten your illness by a day or so and help prevent serious complications.

Antiviral medication side effects may include nausea and vomiting. These side effects may be lessened if the drug is taken with food.

LIFESTYLE AND HOME REMEDIES

If you do come down with the flu, these measures may help ease your symptoms:

Drink plenty of liquids, especially water

Rest: Get more sleep to help your immune system fight infection Consider pain relievers Use an over-the-counter pain reliever to combat the achiness associated with influenza

PREVENTION

Do not take aspirin as there are potentially fatal complications

Annual flu vaccination for everyone over the age of six months is highly recommended.

Each year’s seasonal flu vaccine contains protection from the three or four influenza viruses that are expected to be the most common during that year’s flu season. This year, the vaccine is recommended as an injection only.

The vaccine is not 100% effective, so it is also important to take measures such as these to reduce the spread of infection:

Wash your hands. Thorough and frequent hand-washing is an effective way to prevent many common infections. Or use alcohol-based hand sanitisers if soap and water aren’t readily available.

Contain your coughs and sneezes. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. To avoid contaminating your hands, cough or sneeze into a tissue or into the inner crook of your elbow.

Avoid crowds. Flu spreads easily wherever people congregate — in child care centres, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and public transportation. By avoiding crowds during peak flu season, you reduce your chances of infection.

And, if you’re sick, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever subsides so that you lessen your chance of infecting others.

FLU VACCINE

Influenza is a respiratory infection that can cause serious complications – particularly to young children, older adults and people with certain medical conditions. Flu shots are the most effective way to prevent influenza and its complications. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone six months of age or older be vaccinated annually against influenza.

It is already available in SA. We get our flu season during the winter months, so the vaccine is best used during the months of March and April. Doctors and nurses are encouraged to begin vaccinating people as soon as the flu vaccine is available in their areas.

It takes about 10 to 14 days to build immunity after a flu shot, but you can benefit from the vaccine even if you don’t get it until after flu season starts. You need to be vaccinated every year because new flu vaccines are released every year to keep up with rapidly adapting flu viruses.

Because flu viruses evolve so quickly, last year’s vaccine may not protect you from this year’s viruses. After vaccination, your immune system produces antibodies that will protect you from the vaccine viruses. In general, though, antibody levels start to decline over time — another reason to get a flu shot every year.

Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of influenza complications.

Chronic medical conditions also can increase your risk of influenza complications. Examples include: asthma, cancer or cancer treatment, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, HIV/Aids, kidney or liver disease and obesity.

WHO SHOULDN’T GET A FLU SHOT?

If you are allergic to eggs. Most types of flu vaccines contain a small amount of egg protein. If you have an egg allergy, you can receive the flu shot without any additional precautions. If you have a severe egg allergy, you should be vaccinated in a medical setting and be supervised by a doctor who can recognise and manage severe allergic conditions.

If you had a severe reaction to a previous flu vaccine. The vaccine is not recommended for anyone who had a severe reaction to a previous flu vaccine. Check with your doctor first, though. Some reactions might not be related to the vaccine.

There’s a misconception that the flu vaccine can give you the flu. It’s usually because some people develop flu-like symptoms a er the shot, these could be due to:

Reaction to the vaccine. Some people experience muscle aches and a fever for a day or two after receiving a flu shot. This may be a side effect of your body’s production of protective antibodies.

The two-week window. It takes about two weeks for the flu shot to take full effect. If you’re exposed to the virus shortly before or during that time, you might catch the flu.

Mismatched flu viruses. In some years, the viruses used for the vaccine don’t match the viruses circulating. If this occurs, your flu shot will be less effective.

Other illnesses. Many other diseases, like the cold, produce flulike symptoms. So you may think you have the flu when you don’t.