Influenza

Introduction
Influenza or flu is a viral illness often occurring in outbreaks (epidemic)

Symptoms
It starts with a (39 °C/102 °F to 40 °C/104 °F) fever, headache, muscle aches and high temperature/chestiness. Flu cannot be treated with antibiotics. Flu is not usually dangerous, the fever generally disappears after 3 to 5 days. It may take up to two weeks before full recovery. Flu can lead to middle ear infection and other bacterial illness, or rarely pneumonia. These can be treated by your doctor. Anti-influenza vaccinations are available to people in high-risk groups. These are people who have difficulty in combating flu because they have other diseases.

High-risk groups include:

• People with chronic bronchial disorders
• People with cystic fibrosis
• People with chronic heart disorders
• Pregnant women
• Very old people (over 80)
• People with Diabetes
• People with kidney diseases
• People with liver diseases
• People with reduced resistance, for example when undergoing chemotherapy or oral steroid treatment.

Treatment: What you can do for yourself

Adults & Children over 12 years
Drink plenty of fluid. Keep the room well ventilated and sleep with the window open. Adults can take paracetamol for headache, this also reduces the fever. Take 1-2 Ibuprofen (200-400mg) every 4-6 hours for muscular pain. Try to avoid infecting other people. Cover the mouth and nose when you sneeze. Wash the hands regularly; this prevents droplet spread of infection (germs spreading through the air).

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