Don't let flu get the better of you

Beat the infection this winter

It is that time of year again when people all around the country are stocking up on tissues and throat lozenges in anticipation of those winter sniffles, sneezes and coughs. While most people are familiar with the unpleasant symptoms of flu, few realise just how dangerous it can be to one's health
and to the health of others.

As part of the Government Employees Medical Scheme's (GEMS) ongoing effort to educate our members and future members on a range of healthcare topics, we would like to share real life member stories and their outcomes with you. This article explores the subject of preventing and managing flu.

When Thembani Ramakopa* woke up one chilly winter morning with a sore throat, blocked nose and headache, he thought it was merely an ordinary cold. "I knew I was not well, but I thought it was nothing serious so I got ready and went to catch my bus to work at the Department of Minerals and Energy, as usual. However, by lunchtime I was already feeling much worse and when I got home that afternoon I felt terrible. My throat was on fire, I had a fever and was experiencing severe aches and pains."

More than just a cold
The following morning, Thembani decided to stay at home, thinking that by the next day he would feel alright again. However, his symptoms only got worse and by the time he visited his doctor two days later he found out that not only did he have bad seasonal influenza but that he had contracted a secondary infection and now had bronchitis as well. Thembani's doctor explained that if he had only come for a consultation sooner he may not have become so ill.

Thembani's first mistake was in thinking that he simply had a cold. Cold is in fact quite different to seasonal flu in a number of ways:

Cold   

• Can be caused by over 100 different viruses.
• Generally milder symptoms such as a runny nose and stuffy sinuses.
• Should pass within a few days (unless respiratory complications develop).

Seasonal flu

• Can only be caused by three seasonal influenza virus types.
• Unpleasant and often painful symptoms that can include dry cough, sore throat, severe aches and pains and high fever.
• Can take up to two weeks to completely recover and can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia.  

The dangers of flu
Those who become infected with influenza, or flu as it is commonly called, should not underestimate its harmful effects. Influenza is a virus that is a serious public health issue causing severe illness and even death in high-risk population groups. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), flu epidemics occur annually during autumn and winter and result in approximately three to five million cases of severe illness and about 250 000 to 500 000 deaths every year.

While most people who contract the flu recover without any serious harm to their health, there are others who are at much higher risk of serious flu complications. Those who are particularly at risk include:

• Children younger than two
• Adults aged 65 or older
• Pregnant women
• People with certain pre-existing medical conditions such as chronic heart, lung, kidney, liver or blood diseases
• Those with compromised immune systems such as diabetes, cancer or HIV patients.

While flu complications are more likely to affect those at risk, they can affect healthy people too. Complications can involve pneumonia, dehydration and infection of the sac around the heart. They can also worsen pre-existing chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma and diabetes.

The power of vaccination
When he found just how serious influenza can be, Thembani was relived that he had not developed any dangerous complications such as pneumonia. However, he was deeply concerned about his mother who suffers from a chronic illness. The doctor suggested that his mother come in for a flu vaccination. He explained that while the flu season is already in full swing, it is advisable for those at high risk to have the vaccination as soon as possible if they have not already done so.

While the influenza vaccine is the best form of protection from the virus for both those who are at-risk and those who are healthy, it does not guarantee immunity from the illness. However, the vaccine is highly effective and can prevent 70% to 90% of influenza-specific illness in healthy adults. The vaccine also reduces severe illness and complications by up to 60%, and deaths by 80% among the elderly according to WHO estimates.

Preventing transmission
Influenza is a highly contagious disease that is spread by inhaling droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person or by being in direct contact with an infected person's secretions such as during close physical contact and sharing eating utensils. The virus can also be transferred when those with flu cough or sneeze into their hands and then touch surfaces such as handles, doorknobs, railings, computer keyboards and telephones. After this, when you touch these surfaces and then your nose, eyes or mouth, the virus is transmitted into your system.

Therefore, an effective way to prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses is to always cough or sneeze into a tissue and then immediately dispose of it in a rubbish bin. It is also very important for your own health and that of others to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly.

What to do if you do get flu
Thembani's doctor explained to him that while there are ways to help prevent flu transmission and infection, there is still a chance that you will get it. If you find yourself coming down with the flu this winter there are certain steps you can take to help prevent it from becoming worse:

• Stay warm in bed and rest
• Discontinue physical exertion as this can result in damage to the heart muscles
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
• Take vitamin supplements such as vitamin B complex and vitamin C to help you recover.

If your symptoms become worse and you are not getting better, visit your doctor as you may have developed a secondary infection. Those who are at risk of serious complications should visit their doctor immediately for medical attention, as flu can be highly dangerous and even deadly if left for too long.

For more tips to help you battle the common cold this winter, read the article ‘6 medicine-free ways to combat the common cold' in the healthGEMS page in your latest Facets newsletter.

If you would like to know how GEMS can assist you to obtain more information about any of your healthcare needs, you can contact the GEMS call centre on 0860 00 4367 or send an SMS to 083 450 4367. GEMS will assist you in every way possible to ensure your family's health and well-being.

Sources:
1. The World Health Organisation, www.who.int 
2. Web MD, www.webmd.com 
3. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases, www.nicd.as.za

*The member's name has been changed in order to protect his identity.