What I do when I get the Flu

Since international travel opened up again, the cases of influenza or ‘the flu’ as we commonly call it has escalated this winter, after record low flu levels were detected in recent years.

The good news is that despite an increase in flu cases this season, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there has not been a single death or hospitalisation from the flu in Australia from July 2020 to July 2022.

This can be attributed, for the most part; to all the restrictions we implemented to help combat the Covid pandemic; a stark contrast to pre-pandemic 2019 when 1080 Aussies died from the flu in the previous 12 months.

Wearing face masks, social distancing, hand washing, and limiting travel both nationally and internationally were all key factors in reducing the transmission of Covid and have had a beneficial knock-on effect of reducing the spread of the flu at the same time.

Professor Peter Collignon, from the Australian National University Medical School, says the flu, like Covid is imported and if a flu outbreak does not occur in 2022, it is likely to happen in 2023.

I believe we can all do our bit to stop or at least help reduce any flu outbreak this year and into the future.

Fortunately, I have not been struck down with a bad case of the flu in the last decade and I mainly put that down to a number of simple things I do regularly that have become part my life.

Susie’s Top Tips to Avoid the Flu

• Flu shot

I have been getting a flu shot just about every year since my doctor recommended I do so after a serious bout of glandular fever I endured in 1990. In fact, the few odd years that I didn’t get a flu shot were the ones where I went down with such a bad case of the flu that I could barely get my head off the pillow for the first week.

According to Health Direct the flu vaccine wears off after three to four months and strains of the flu change over time. They emphasise the important of getting a yearly flu shot. I check with my GP every year as to the best time for me to get my flu shot to give me the best fortification.

Dr Rod Pearce from Immunisation Coalition urges us to get the flu vaccine. He says after near-record flu vaccinations in 2020; the uptake has dropped to 70 percent, which is concerning as we now have far less ‘herd immunity’.

• Personal hygiene

I’m certainly in the habit of washing my hands even more regularly now and I carry hand sanitiser with me. I try and avoid touching surfaces and then touching my eyes or mouth.

I cover my nose and mouth when I sneeze and if I can’t get a tissue out in time then I sneeze into my elbow.

Being very tactile, it was a huge mental adjustment for me to stop the instinctive urge to hug people.

Other common-sense things I do systematically to kill any germs is to keep bench tops and other services clean, including my keyboard and mouse, door handles and light switches.

To stop the spread of germs I avoid sharing cups or plates or cutlery with others and I taste the food I cook with a clean spoon and not with the cooking implements.

• Avoiding Big Crowds

We all realise how important it is to avoid large crowds during Covid outbreaks and the same applies to catching the flu.

Limiting contact with people during flu season can help reduce our risk of getting infected and the flu can spread quickly in confined spaces.

I have made an extra effort to wear a mask throughout winter whenever I travel on public transport or in crowded spaces to avoid getting the flu as well as Covid.

• Saline Nasal Spray

Living in the inner city has huge benefits but it also has its challenges and one of those is dust and pollution.

I’m conscious of how irritated my sinuses can get, and I regularly flush out my nostrils with Fess, a saline solution I get from my chemist, which has a fine spray atomiser. It definitely helps reduce my hay fever like symptoms and helps wash out any viruses and allergens from up my nose.

Susie’s Top Tips if You Get the Flu

Sometimes, despite all our best efforts, we do end up succumbing to the flu.

The Mayo Clinic points out that an influenza infection usually has different symptoms and causes a more severe illness than most other common viral respiratory infections and may be a life-threatening infection in certain people; it should not be confused with the common cold.

In most parts of Australia, flu outbreaks are seasonal and vary from mild and intermittent to serious epidemics, usually occurring between late autumn and early spring. It is estimated that between five and twenty percent of the country may be infected annually.

• Seek Medical Assistance

The common symptoms of the flu include fever, body aches, chills, runny nose, coughing, sore throat and fatigue.

If I feel like I am getting those symptoms I don’t delay getting to my GP.

I’ve learnt that antibiotics do not reduce flu or cold symptoms, as these illnesses are caused by viruses. Antibiotics only work for bacterial infections, but your GP can prescribe suitable anti-viral medication to help.

• Over the counter medication

There is a never-ending selection of over-the-counter cold and flu medications including decongestants, cough suppressants and pain relievers to help reduce the symptoms and staff at my local chemist is always helpful when I need advice on what will help relieve my particular ailments.

Be cautious with unproven herbal remedies. Herbs and supplements aren’t scrutinised the same way that medication is for quality, packaging, and safety. Be sure to buy them from a reputable source and always check with your doctor first.

• Gargling Salt water

I’m a huge fan of salt water gargles. It is an easy and affordable way to help with my dental health and hygiene. There are numerous benefits of regularly gargling with salt water, especially if you have the flu. Salt water breaks up mucus and all those irritants in our throat that can cause problems.

As soon as I get a tickle in my throat I dissolve a half a teaspoon of salt in a small amount of warm water, take sips and gargle for 20 to 30 seconds each time, then swirl it around my mouth and teeth and spit it out. I repeat that three times a day and I see an improvement in no time.

• Drink plenty of liquids.

To prevent dehydration, I try and consume as much fluid as I can. I don’t drink tea or coffee so water is my first preference and when I don’t feel well enough to eat any food, I try to drink warm soups to keep up my energy and nutrition.

• Rest and sleep.

One of the best ways to help our bodies to get better and to build up our immune system to help fight an infection is to sleep.

Getting more sleep will help our immune system fight infection.

Don’t push yourself. It is also important to rest and not exercise until you recover and to monitor and change your activity level, depending on your flu symptoms.

• Stay Home and Isolate

Before Covid, I was generally inclined to try and be a hero and soldier on despite how terrible I was feeling and all that did was to prolong my recovery and to infect those around me.

Now, I realise the importance of not being around other people until I am feeling better. If I need to go out and get medical care, I wear a face mask and stock up on a few essentials while I’m out, then I stay at home and isolate.

• If Your Flu Lingers

Mayo Clinic says that most people recover from the flu within one to two weeks, but others may start to get better and then find that their condition rapidly deteriorates and their fever spikes again.

If this happens, it could mean that you have a flu complication like pneumonia, an ear infection, or bronchitis and they suggest you see your GP as soon as possible.

I hope you stay warm and safe for the rest of this colder and wetter than usual winter and I’m looking forward to spring!

Cheers

Susie