Healthy Living
Healthy Living
Flu
The Flu: What to do if you get sick
How do I know if I have flu?
The symptoms of flu are similar to those of the common cold and may include the following:
sudden fever (a temperature of 38°C/100.4°F or above),
- dry, chesty cough,
- headache,
- tiredness,
- chills,
- aching muscles,
- limb or joint pain,
- diarrhoea or stomach upset,
- sore throat,
- runny or blocked nose,
- sneezing,
- loss of appetite, and
- difficulty sleeping.
- Babies and small children with flu may also appear drowsy, unresponsive and floppy.
- Symptoms will usually peak after two to three days and you should begin to feel much better within five to eight days. A cough and general tiredness may last for two to three weeks.
If symptoms worsen or persist for more than a week or you have a medical condition that is making your flu worse please contact your GP. Do not visit your practice as this may spread the virus to other people.
If you get sick with flu-like symptoms, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care. Most people with the flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs.
Bill Forsyth, Medical Director for Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT said “The best way to treat a cold or flu, if you have no other conditions that might be affected, is to go to bed, keep warm, drink lots of fluids and take some paracetamol and rest. There is really nothing more that you can do - it’s the only solution.”
However, some people are more likely to get flu complications (for example people 65 and older, people with asthma, diabetes or women who are pregnant) and they should talk to a health care provider about whether they need to be examined if they get flu symptoms. Also, it's possible for healthy people to develop severe illness from the flu so anyone concerned about their illness should consult a health care provider. In these cases the public can also speak to NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or www.nhs.uk.
There are emergency warning signs. Anyone who has them should get medical care right away.
What are the emergency warning signs?
In children
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Not waking up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash
In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away for any infant who has any of these signs:
- Being unable to eat
- Has trouble breathing
- Has no tears when crying
- Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal
In adults
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Flu–like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Remember to:
Catch it. Bin it. Kill it
It is worth stressing that flu is a vaccine-preventable illness. The HPA has urged people in at-risk groups to get immunised. The seasonal flu vaccine is always trivalent - so it protects against the three most likely circulating strains of flu. This year the vaccine contains antigens against the influenza type A strains H1N1 and H3N2 and against flu B.
Maintaining good cough and hand hygiene, such as covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough and sneeze, disposing of the tissue as soon as possible and cleaning your hands as soon you can are important actions that can help prevent the spread of germs and reduce the risk of transmission.
Basic Hygiene Advice
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible
Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully
Maintain good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water
Clean hard surfaces (e.g. door handles, computer keyboards and mouse devices, telephones and remote controls) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
