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Introduction
Flu is a common infectious viral illness spread by coughs and sneezes. It can be very unpleasant, but
you'll usually begin to feel better within about a week.
You can catch flu short for influenza all year round, but it's especially common in winter, which is why it's also
known as "seasonal flu".
It's not the same as the common cold. Flu is caused by a different group of viruses and the symptoms tend to start
more suddenly, be more severe and last longer.
Some of the main symptoms of flu include:
Cold-like symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, and a sore throat can also be caused by flu,
but they tend to be less severe than the other symptoms you have.
Flu can make you feel so exhausted and unwell that you have to stay in bed and rest until you feel better.
Read more about the symptoms of flu.
What to do
If you're otherwise fit and healthy, there's usually no need to see a doctor if you have flu-like symptoms.
The best remedy is to rest at home, keep warm and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. You can take
paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower a high temperature and relieve aches if necessary.
Stay off work or school until you're feeling better. For most people, this will take about a week.
Read more about treating flu at home.
In these situations, you may need medication to treat or prevent complications of flu. Your doctor may recommend
taking antiviral medicine to reduce your symptoms and help you recover more quickly.
Read more about antiviral medication for flu.
The flu virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when someone who is
infected coughs or sneezes.
These droplets typically spread about one metre. They hang suspended in the air for a while before landing on
surfaces, where the virus can survive for up to 24 hours.
Anyone who breathes in the droplets can catch flu. You can also catch the virus by touching the surfaces that
the droplets have landed on if you pick up the virus on your hands and then touch your nose or mouth.
Everyday items at home and in public places can easily become contaminated with the flu virus, including food,
door handles, remote controls, handrails, telephone handsets and computer keyboards. Therefore, it's important
to wash your hands frequently.
You can catch flu many times, because flu viruses change regularly and your body won't have natural resistance to
the new versions.
regularly cleaning surfaces such as your computer keyboard, telephone and door handles to get rid of
germs
using tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
putting used tissues in a bin as soon as possible
You can also help stop the spread of flu by avoiding unnecessary contact with other people while you're infectious.
You should stay off work or school until you're feeling better.
In some people at risk of more serious flu, an annual flu vaccine (see below) or antiviral medication may be
recommended to help reduce the risk of becoming infected.
Read more about how to stop the spread of flu.
An annual flu vaccine nasal spray is also now offered to healthy children aged two, three and four years old, and to
children in school years one and two.
The best time to have the vaccine is in the autumn, between September and early November. If you think you
might need it, contact your local GP surgery.
You should have the flu vaccination every year so you stay protected, as the viruses that cause flu change every
year.
For more information on who should have the flu vaccine and how to get it, read the sections on the flu jab for
adults, the flu jab for pregnant women and the children's flu vaccine.
bird (avian) flu a type of flu spread among birds that affects humans in rare cases
swine flu the type of flu that was responsible for the flu pandemic in 2009-10
"gastric flu" (gastroenteritis) an infection of the digestive system, which can be caused by bacteria or
viruses such as the norovirus
Click on the links above for more information about these types of flu.
Symptoms of flu
The symptoms of flu usually develop within one to three days of becoming infected. Most people will
Main symptoms
Flu can give you any of the following symptoms:
Is it flu or a cold?
It can sometimes be difficult to tell if you have flu or just a cold, as the symptoms can be quite similar. The main
differences are:
Flu symptoms:
come on quickly
usually include fever and aching muscles
make you feel too unwell to continue your usual activities
Cold symptoms:
come on gradually
In these situations, you may need extra treatment to prevent or treat complications of flu.
Treating flu
Usually, you can manage flu symptoms yourself at home and there's no need to see a GP. Most people
feel better within a week.
You should consider seeing your GP if you're at a higher risk of becoming more seriously ill. This includes people
who:
are 65 or over
are pregnant
have a lung, heart, kidney, liver or neurological disease
have a weakened immune system
have diabetes
Antiviral medication
In 2009, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended that doctors should consider
treating people in the at-risk groups mentioned above with the antiviral medications oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or
zanamivir (Relenza) to reduce the risk of complications of flu.
Antivirals work by stopping the flu virus from multiplying in the body. They won't cure flu, but they may help slightly
reduce the length of the illness and relieve some of the symptoms.
Recent research has suggested that Tamiflu and Relenza may not be effective at reducing the risk of flu
complications and could cause side effects, so not all doctors agree they should be used.
But there is evidence that antivirals can reduce the risk of death in patients hospitalised with flu. In the light of this
evidence, Public Health England says it is important that doctors treating severely unwell patients continue to
prescribe these drugs where appropriate.
For more information, read Effectiveness of Tamiflu and Relenza questioned and the NICE guidelines on
antivirals to treat influenza.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics aren't prescribed for flu as they have no effect on viruses, although they may be prescribed if you
develop a complication of flu, such as a bacterial chest infection.
Complications of flu
Complications of flu mostly affect people in high-risk groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women and
those who have a long-term medical condition or weakened immune system.
This is why it's important for people in these groups to have the annual flu vaccination and consider seeing their
GP if they develop symptoms of flu.
Chest infections
The most common complication of flu is a bacterial chest infection, such as bronchitis. Occasionally, this can
become serious and develop into pneumonia.
A course of antibiotics usually cures a chest infection or pneumonia, but it can very occasionally become lifethreatening, particularly in the frail and elderly.
Pregnancy complications
If you get flu while you're pregnant, there's a small risk that the infection could cause problems with your
pregnancy.
Flu may cause you to go into premature labour (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), or it may result in your baby
having a low birth weight.
Rare complications
Less common complications of flu include:
Click on the links above for more information about the symptoms of these conditions and to find out how they're
treated.
Preventing flu
There are three main ways of preventing flu: good hygiene, such as handwashing and cleaning, the flu
vaccination and antiviral medication.
Good hygiene
To reduce your risk of getting flu or spreading it to other people, you should always:
make sure you wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water
clean surfaces such as your keyboard, telephone and door handles regularly to get rid of germs
use tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
put used tissues in a bin as soon as possible
Adults over 18 and children aged six months to two years in these groups are given an annual injection, while
children aged two to 18 are given an annual nasal spray.
The annual nasal spray is also now given to healthy children aged two, three and four years old, and to children in
school years one and two.
The best time to have the vaccine is in the autumn, between September and early November. If you think you need
it, contact your local GP surgery. Find your nearest GP surgery here.
You should have the flu vaccination every year so you stay protected. The viruses that cause flu change every year,
so this winter's flu will be different from last winter's.
Read more about:
Antiviral medication
Taking the antiviral medicines oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) to prevent flu is recommended if all of
the following apply:
hours
you have not been effectively protected by vaccination
If there's an outbreak of flu in a residential or nursing home where the flu virus can often spread very quickly
antiviral medication may be offered to people if they have been in contact with someone with confirmed flu.
For more information, read the guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on
antivirals to prevent influenza.