Did you know that in the US every year, 5 to 10% of adults and 20 to 30% of children get infected with influenza? 

What is influenza?  

Influenza is an infectious viral infection that attacks your respiratory system (nose, throat, and lungs). It is caused by the influenza virus, also known as the ‘flu.’ It can infect anyone from adults to children. The best treatment available is to get flu shots each year.  To talk to a specialist for Infectious disease call us on 1-347-384-5690.

Transmission 

This virus is transmitted when you come in contact with infected people, especially through touching, sneezing, or coughing. This virus spreads quickly without giving any symptoms at first. This is one of the main reasons that in the US, millions of people get sick, hundreds of thousands get hospitalized and tens of thousands die from it every year. 

Symptoms  

Symptoms usually begin with a runny nose, sneezing, and sore throat. But flu can also give you some or all of these symptoms: 

• Fever  
• Muscle weakness and aches 
• Fatigue /Feeling tired most of the time 
• Cough and sore throat 
• Stuffy or runny nose 
• Chills/shivers 
• Headaches 
• Shortness of breath 
• Vomiting and diarrhea, more common in children than in adults  

Treatment  

• If you have a fever, cough, or runny nose treatment can be given at home with plenty of rest, drinking a lot of water, and taking over-the-counter medicines.  
• But if you have a severe illness, treatment is done through antiviral drugs, antihistamines, and decongestants which shorten the illness by a day or two and help to avoid serious complications like pneumonia. Antiviral medications work best when you take them within 48 hours of getting sick.  
• In the US, annual flu shots are the best prevention against the flu.  

Prevention 

It is recommended by CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention), that everyone aged 6 months or older should take annual flu shots to prevent the flu virus. You can take these precautions to avoid the infection: 

• Wash your hands regularly: It is important to wash your hands regularly with soap and water or by using alcohol-based sanitizers. It helps to prevent many common infections. 
• Avoid touching your face, nose, and eyes: The best way to stop the transmission of infection is to avoid touching your face, nose, and eyes. 
• Cover your sneeze and cough: Always cover your coughing or sneezing by using a tissue, handkerchief, hands, or elbow to avoid the spread of infections. Wash your hands after you sneeze and/or cough.  
• Clean regularly touched surfaces: You should clean the surfaces that you use often such as office tables, home tables, seats, etc. to avoid the spread of the flu virus. 
• Avoid crowded areas: Try to avoid going to crowded areas as the chances are higher of getting the infection. 
• Avoid the sick person: If you can, try to avoid the sick person until they are healed completely. Do the same if you are sick to avoid spreading your infection. 

Want to know more? At Doral Health and Wellness, we have doctors of Infectious diseases that can help you manage your condition. For more information, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11212, or call us at 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://doralhw.org or contact us at info@mainwebsite.dialysisny.com if you have any queries.