What is the Flu?
Influenza is an illness of the airways caused by influenza A or influenza B viruses. The illness can range from mild to severe and can lead to complications and death. Flu season in Canada is from mid-October to end of April. Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, and one or more of: sore throat, joint pain, muscle pain, or extreme exhaustion/weakness. The usual duration of fly symptoms is 4-7 days. [ Read More ]
What can I do to prevent myself from getting the flu?
- Wash hands frequently, use hand sanitizer if water and soap is not available
- Cough/sneeze into tissues (or into shirt sleeve if tissues are not available) and throw all used tissue into the garbage
- If flu symptoms are present:
- Stay home from work or school
- Do not visit hospitals, nursing homes, or individuals at high risk for flu-related complications
- Get the flu shot during flu season at your local pharmacy
What do I do if I get the flu?
Flu treatment:
- Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is a medication that can be used to treat the influenza A or B virus. It can reduce the duration of flu symptoms by about 1 day and early treatment with Tamiflu can reduce flu-related complications (need for antibiotics, hospitalizations, asthma exacerbations).
Symptom treatment:
- Fever
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Ibuprofen (Advil)
- Joint/muscle pain
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Ibuprofen (Advil)
- Headache
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Ibuprofen (Advil)
- Cough
- Cough syrup with dextromethorphan (DM) ie. Robitussin DM, Koffex DM