Educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of influenza

The flu season is upon us and as we all know, having the flu isn’t a nice thing to experience, especially on those cold winter days. Make sure you stay healthy and flu-free this winter by educating yourself on the signs and symptoms of influenza as well as possible ways to avoid it by consulting these infographics (see attached). You can also download the PDF version of the infographic.

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness. Influenza can cause mild to severe illness. It can also make chronic health problems worse or lead to pneumonia for example which in turn could lead to death. Influenza or flu as it is commonly known is an acute viral respiratory infection, transmitted by the influenza virus.

This virus has three main types: A, B and C.

How do you get the flu?

The flu virus spreads mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are close by. You can also catch flu by touching a surface or an object that has flu virus on it and then touching your mouth, eyes or nose. A person with flu may be contagious one day before symptoms appear and for three to seven days after the onset of symptoms.

Should I be vaccinated?

It is never too late to vaccinate, even though it may take up to two weeks to develop sufficient protection for the winter months. High-risk groups include pregnant women during all stages, adults over 65, children between the ages of six months and five years and any person who had contact with those in the high risk group.

What are the symptoms?

It is important to note that influenza is different from a cold.

The key difference between colds and influenza is the very high temperatures one gets with the associated symptoms of influenza. People usually develop influenza suddenly. Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headaches
• Cough
• Runny or blocked nose
• Body aches
• Tiredness

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