The Flu is here!

December 9th, 2012

In my office, I perform a nasal swab which can test for influenza A and B with results in less than 10 minutes.  So far, I have confirmed several cases of the seasonal flu already, with the earliest in mid-October. This is not a good sign for the coming months.  Usually, the flu season does not begin until January/February.  As people head home to their family gatherings for the holidays and crowd into stores shopping, the flu epidemic will likely be devastating this year.  Fortunately, the strains that we are seeing have been incorporated into the flu vaccine developed for this year.  The key is to make sure everyone gets their flu shot.  Flu shots are widely available and still in full supply.

The flu is often spread among children in school, who then bring it home to their family members.  Make sure you teach your children good hand hygiene and to cover their mouths with their forearms when they cough.  Most importantly, make sure that all your children over the age of 6 months get their flu shots.  If your child is sick with the flu, keep him or her at home to prevent the spread to others at school.

There is a medication that can ease the symptoms of the flu called Tamiflu (oseltamivir).  This prescription treatment can reduce the severity and duration of the flu by and average of one day.  However, it must be started between 24 and 48 hours of the first sign of the flu.  It is important, especially if you have not gotten the flu shot, that if you do experience the first signs of the flu, such as severe muscle aches, tiredness, sore throat, that you contact your primary care doctor immediately so that he/she can assess if Tamiflu should be prescribed.

Protect yourself from the flu by keeping your immune system healthy.  Get adequate sleep, drink plenty of water, exercises regularly, and manage your stress.  Be sure to wash your hands frequently!