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Alan Franciscus

Editor-in-Chief

HCV Advocate



Thursday, January 22, 2015

The Five: The Flu —Alan Franciscus, Editor-in-Chief

This year’s strains of influenza are particularly virulent, and unfortunately the vaccine developed this year does not provide protection against all of the strains.  The flu is a nasty virus that causes 36,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States. The largest and deadliest flu outbreak was the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919 that caused 20 to 40 million deaths.  Now we are lucky to have a healthcare system that prevents most deaths, and vaccines that provide protection against most strains of the flu. 

1. Symptoms:  Many people confuse the symptoms of flu with the cold, but the flu has definite symptoms, such as: 
  • A fever of 100 degrees or higher (but not everyone gets a fever)
  • A cough and/or sore throat
  • A runny or stuffy throat
  • Headache and/or body aches
  • Chills
  • Fatigue or feeling tired
  • Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), vomiting, and/or diarrhea
2. People who are at risk for severe complications:
  • Children younger than 5, especially those younger than 2 years old
  • Adults 65 years and older
  • People who have medical conditions including liver disease (such as hepatitis B and C)
3. Prevention:
  • The best prevention is the flu vaccination.  It is safe and is usually effective; but this year’s flu has mutated so the vaccine is not protective against this year’s most virulent flu strain.  Even so, it is protective against 50% of the strains infecting people this year.
  • Basic hand washing can help to protect people from the cold, flu and other infections—wash the hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. 
  • Watch what you touch, especially other people’s items—phones, iPads, remote controls, etc.
4. The Flu:
  • If you get the flu, the best advice is to get bed rest, and monitor your temperature and drink lots of fluids.
  • There are many over-the-counter medicines that can help lessen some of the symptoms
  • Your medical provider can prescribe antiviral medications to reduce the symptoms and shorten the duration of the flu
  • Seek medical attention if you experience any of the following:
    • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
    • Purple or blue discoloration of the lips
    • Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
    • Sudden dizziness
    • Confusion
    • Severe or persistent vomiting
    • Seizures
    • Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough
5. The Bottom Line:
  • There is still time to get the flu vaccine, but if you don’t get vaccinated, be prepared to take precautions to protect yourself against getting the flu. 

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