Winter is here, get vaccinated against flu and cold, says doctor
As temperatures in the UAE is cooling down, we will feel a nip in the air and a steady rise in the numbers of cold and flu cases. Cold and flu have many symptoms in common and it is usually difficult to differentiate between the two. The symptoms caused by flu are severe and the salient ones are: Symptoms develop acutely within hours to a day, fever often of high grade in nature, nasal symptoms like stuffy-running nose are less, severe headache, sore throat is less common, severe muscle pain and body ache, common to have symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, more prone to serious complications like pneumonia, bacterial infections and may require hospitalisation and decreased energy levels with severe exhaustion.
Over 100 different viruses can cause a cold while only the influenza virus causes flu. Cold and flu are highly contagious diseases and according to the guidelines people are most contagious during the first 2-3 days of contracting a cold and for about five days thereafter.
Flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. Flu is more common in winter as the virus lives longer as air is less humid and we spend more time indoors with the windows sealed, so they are more likely to breathe the same air as someone who has the flu and thus contract the virus.
How to protect yourself from cold and flu:
> Get a flu shot: Everybody over the age of six months is recommended to get an annual flu vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Usually it takes about two weeks for the immunity to develop once you had your shot. Flu shot can reduce the risk of flu by 40-60 per cent when the vaccine is well matched to the circulating flu viruses.
> Wash your hands often: Use soap and water and rub hands together for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitiser with at least 60 per cent alcohol.
> Exercise regularly: Working out on a regular basis may lower your risk of catching a cold, or lower your duration of cold symptoms, according to a 2010 study.
> Get enough sleep: Studies have found that not getting enough sleep is linked with an increased risk of catching a cold or the flu.
> Stand back: Studies have found that flu virus particles exhaled by a sick person will travel at least six feet.
> Consider wearing a mask: If you’re taking care of a person sick with a cold or a flu, wearing a surgical mask may reduce your risk of catching the illness.
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