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HEALTHY REASONING: It’s The Flu Season… Protect Yourself

HEALTHY REASONING: It’s The Flu Season… Protect Yourself

By Allan Bucka Jones
Pride Health Columnist 

The flu season has started.

It’s an annual ritual, as the days get colder there is a certain threshold of viral activity, detected in the community to cause health authorities to declare November to April as the flu season. This is not a strict designated period, as the flu season can bleed into late October and extend into May.

During this period there is increased possibility of developing influenza or the flu. Of course, one can contract influenza at any time during the year.

What does the flu look like?  The symptoms of the flu typically include the sudden onset of headache, chills, cough, fever, loss of appetite, myalgia, fatigue, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes and throat irritation. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may also occur, especially in children.

With the extra attention and publicity being paid to the Ebola virus disease at this time, there is some possibility that someone with influenza symptoms could be confused with someone with Ebola symptoms.

There are two significant differences; Ebola will cause flu like symptoms but without the cold component, like runny nose etc., and also, it is unlikely someone will develop Ebola virus disease, without exposure to the virus, through recent travel to the epicentre in West Africa, or exposure to someone displaying Ebola symptoms.

The flu can cause serious health complications, particularly for children under five, and especially so in children under two, pregnant women, adults over 65, and people with underlying health conditions like chronic lung disease, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and many other conditions.

Unless there is a medical reason not to get the flu vaccine, everyone six months of age and older who lives, works or goes to school in Ontario, can receive protection against the flu through a free flu shot or vaccine available at doctors’ offices and at community and workplace flu immunization clinics.

At 2,400 pharmacies across Ontario there are pharmacists trained to administer the flu vaccine. The flu shot builds up immunity, allowing individuals to be more resistant to the influenza virus. It can take two weeks to build up immunity, so it is important to get the flu shots every year and get it early, at the start of the flu season.

For some individuals, there is resistance to getting the flu vaccine, for various reasons. Some people claim they get the flu after receiving the vaccine, after not being ill with influenza for many previous years.

I raised this scenario with an infectious disease specialist, who indicated that it is very unlikely for someone to be affected by the strain or strains of virus against which the vaccine protects. He said it is quite likely that the person got ill from a virus for which no protection was obtained. Also, the person could be displaying symptoms for an illness that is not influenza.

Getting the vaccine is only one way to protect oneself from not getting the flu. Other approaches include, keeping your hands clean through frequent washing or using an alcohol based cleansing agent. Keeping your hands away from your mouth and nose; avoiding individuals that have the flu, and getting adequate rest and sleep.

If you get ill with the flu stay home, if you have to cough do so into your sleeve, avoid handshakes, and avoid sneezing without covering your nose and mouth. 

Allan Bucka Jones is a Health Promoter and broadcaster. He can be heard on “Allan Bucka Jones LIVE”, Sundays from 3 to 5pm on CHRY 105.5 FM, CHRY RADIO App, www.chry.fm option RDO.to, Rogers Digital Cable 945, Bell Fibe 973 or mobile app TuneIn Radio. You can contact Allan Bucka Jones at allan@jonesandjones.ca

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