The various influenza viruses that cause the flu affect humans year-round in isolation, but when winter arrives, usually shortly after a cold snap, flu cases begin to increase and an epidemic outbreak occurs.
In the United States, this year’s flu outbreak has appeared earlier than usual, due to the severe cold they experienced a few weeks ago.
The main virus in circulation, the influenza B virus, is affecting many children in the United States and the epidemic continues to grow. Behind the annual alarmism is usually the pharmaceutical industry, which manufactures vaccines and anti-influenza drugs.
This year’s flu will be the worst for sufferers who have not had it before, but also for those who have had it before because they will have forgotten its unpleasant symptoms. However, people who have died from it can no longer make comparisons.
How to prevent the flu
The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated during the fall, although the vaccine can have a preventive effect even two to three weeks before the flu outbreak.
When the flu hits, one effective measure is to wash your hands often. The most common way to get the flu is through hand contact with the eyes, nose or mouth when hands are full of germs.
Thus, it is very important to wash your hands with soap and warm water for 30 seconds and keep them clean and away from your face. On the other hand, it is advisable to stay at a safe distance if you are near someone who is sick with the flu.
Knowing the symptoms of the flu
Symptoms of the flu are as follows:
- Sudden onset of high fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Cough, usually dry
- Chills
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
What is the best treatment to follow?
The most appropriate treatment for the flu is to take care of yourself. If you were previously healthy, it is not necessary to go to the doctor. In this way, the patient will avoid taking unnecessary and ineffective drugs that may harm rather than benefit him/her.
It is advisable to take an antipyretic and home remedies. And it is essential to avoid spreading the disease to others, so it is advisable to stay at home and not go to work, school or public places.
On the other hand, the mouth and nose should be covered with a handkerchief or the elbow when coughing or sneezing, but never with the hand, because this action can prevent those around them from getting sick.
In any case, if the patient is worried, he should consult his physician. And the same if they are a high-risk person, such as the elderly, very young children and patients with chronic diseases or compromised immune systems, because they are more likely to suffer serious complications.