What You Need to Know About Flu This Season

As November ends, we begin December hopefully in good health. Weather hasn’t been so bad yet; however things are bound to change soon enough, once it begins to snow. If you want to stay healthy and not be influenced by the influenza (heh!), here is what you need to know about flu this season.

If you want to know what type of flu virus and what sort of flu season we’ll have this year, I have some bad news. Due to the fact that they rely on multiple factors, flu seasons are very hard to pinpoint.

Generally, though, the flu season can begin as early as October, and end as late as May. However, if you haven’t caught it so far, you only need to be careful between December and February, as that is when the infections peak.

The most important part about the flu is preventing it. Once you have the influenza, you are more likely to start spreading it, both to your loved ones and to strangers you meet throughout the day. So, let’s not waste any more time and talk about prevention.

The easiest way to prevent catching the flu is, by far, the most controversial. With various movements talking about the damage a vaccine can do, it’s no wonder that fewer people are getting vaccinated.

However, the number of people who risk getting the influenza rises geometrically with the number of people who refuse the vaccine. You can find vaccination centers almost throughout the entire surface of the United States, so if you want to avoid getting sick, that is your safest choice.

Other ways of preventing the spread of the infectious disease are quite simple. Basically, you simply need common sense. Cover your mouth when you cough, wash your hands, sneeze into a handkerchief, you know, the basic human interaction tips and tricks we learn as children.

Now, let’s say you did everything on the list so far, and still you caught the bug. Here’s what you have to do.

First, you have to make sure you really have the flu, and not just the common cold. The differences might sound minor, however it’s quite easy to figure out. If the runny nose and cough are accompanied by stomach issues and body aches, you definitely have the influenza.

Now that you’re sure of what you’re suffering from, here are a few tips to help you get well soon:

Stay at home and avoid contact with everybody except medical personnel.

Go to the doctor if you are feeling very ill, they will know what to do.

Consume plenty of liquids, especially things rich in proteins, like soups, and electrolytes, like Gatorade.

If you’re interested, here’s where you can get your flu shot.

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