Influenza and you
BY NATIONAL PHARMACIES CHIEF PHARMACIST, BEC ROGERS.
Influenza and you
Influenza is a seasonal viral infection of the nose, throat and sometimes lungs. It is a very contagious disease, spreading quickly when an infected patient coughs, talks or shakes hands with other people.1
For some people symptoms of the flu will be mild, but even those who are young and healthy may find themselves laid up for days or weeks with body aches, a fever, sore throat, headache and fatigue. Those people with pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease are at even higher risk of experiencing severe flu illness and complications that may lead to hospitalisation and in some cases even death.2
Luckily there are some very good ways to reduce your risk of becoming very unwell with the flu. The most effective way is by getting vaccinated. It is possible to still get the flu after being vaccinated but it’s likely to be much milder than you would have experienced without vaccination. It’s important to note that the influenza vaccine changes yearly due to different strains of the flu circulating in the general population from one year to the next.3 This means you and your family need to get vaccinated EVERY year to ensure protection against severe illness. This year notification rates for influenza have been highest in the 5-9 year old age group, reminding us that we need to protect our children too.4 Appropriately trained pharmacists are able to vaccinate children from as young as 5 years old, and with more and more pharmacies offering this service it’s easier than ever to protect your children from the flu with a quick injection.
Other ways to protect yourself from the flu include avoiding close contact with people who are unwell and staying home when you are sick to reduce the spread of disease. Covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and coughing into your elbow rather than your hands will reduce the spread of influenza through respiratory droplets too. And of course, washing your hands often and thoroughly will help to protect you and others from influenza and other circulating winter viruses.5
If you or a loved one are unlucky and become unwell with the flu, or even the common cold, you can always reach out to your community pharmacist for advice. They can recommend vitamins like Bioceuticals Armaforce® that may reduce the severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms, paracetamol for headaches or aches and pains, or decongestant sprays to help with that blocked nose. Remember though that these may not be suitable for all patients so check with your pharmacist before taking them to make sure they’re safe and appropriate for you.
If you cannot afford to take extended time off work, or you are at higher risk due to a medical condition, or you just want to protect those vulnerable people around you then head into your local National Pharmacies for your annual flu shot. We are here to help you Be Well.
Written by Bec Rogers, National Pharmacies Chief Pharmacist.
References:
1. SA Health, 2023
2. Flu Vaccine Facts 2023
3. Australian Influenza Surveillance Report, Report no. 05,2023,2023
4. Australian Influenza Surveillance Report, Report no.05,2023,2023
5. CDC,2023