Flu season begins - What do you need to know?

Flu season is coming, influenza A / H1N1 continues to spread and mainly spread in children and adults. How to prevent and treat two flu. Here are the recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

- How many doses of vaccine are needed?

Many people will need two vaccinations. A dose to protect us against regular seasonal flu, and the vaccine is now available. Another vaccine to fight influenza A / H1N1 - will ship next month. There are studies that suggest that adults need only one dose of H1N1 vaccine, there is no research to apply the necessary dose to children.

- Why can't two types be put into one dose?

It is a matter of time. Influenza A / H1N1 broke out in April, pharmaceutical companies must produce regular seasonal flu vaccine this fall and it is too late to put two types into one.

- Comparison between seasonal flu and A / H1N1 flu?

Flu season is coming while influenza A / H1N1 is still raging.(Artwork: Examiner)

By this time, H1N1 influenza is not more dangerous than the regular seasonal flu - the flu kills 36,000 Americans a year and leaves 200,000 people hospitalized. But influenza A / H1N1 is more common in young adults than older people, which is easy to spread especially in crowds or in crowded places like schools, so keep sick children at home.

There is a sad fact that you can become infected within 24 hours before showing symptoms, which is one reason why the flu spreads quickly.

- Who is most at risk?

Children under 5 years old, pregnant women, the elderly aged 65 and older. And people with asthma, lung diseases, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, liver and blood diseases, poor immune system .

- I think it could have been swine flu in the summer. So do you need a vaccine?

Yes, many other viruses " mimic " the flu and therefore it is difficult to be sure what flu you have.

- How does influenza A / H1N1 affect children, what symptoms are most noticeable?

Symptoms are relatively similar at all ages: Fever, sore throat, sore throat, muscle aches, sneezing, runny nose, sometimes diarrhea or vomiting.

Need to seek medical attention as soon as children feel short of breath or fast breathing, pale skin, vomiting, much drowsiness, difficulty waking, or irritable, do not want to be held. Also consult your doctor as soon as your child has a fever, then return to fever - a sign of infection.

- What are the emergency signs in adults?

Difficulty breathing, muscle pain, chest tightness, dizziness, vomiting, fever again.

- Need treatment for antiviral drugs, Tamiflu or Relenza?

No, most are not. Most people can recover when resting, proper nursing. But people at high risk should plan with a doctor right now, before they can get sick. They need to take Tamiflu for the first 48 hours to show symptoms. Some doctors may agree to give prescriptions if they are told about these symptoms, in order to save time and avoid infecting others in the waiting room.

- How long should sick children stay home?

Within 24 hours after stopping the fever naturally, not due to fever-reducing medicine. Never give your child aspirin, just use a non-aspirin fever reducer. For children under 5 years of age, ask your doctor about the medicine and dosage. The doctor recommends that children stay home if they still feel sick after the fever has ended.

- But not all people have fever?

Yes, there is no exact estimate, but this is not too common.

- Some people get sick in the office, so how long will it take to know if they are infected?

Within a week.

- Do you need to notify friends or staff if you or your children are sick?

Of course it should, especially if you see people at high risk. Treat flu like other contagious diseases. For example, the family will notify the school and classmates when a child becomes ill.

- Can flu come from flu vaccine? Someone said: "I am sick with vaccination"?

No, biologically it can't happen when vaccination makes you sick. But the flu vaccine does not prevent colds or other flu-like viruses, causing confusion for users.

- If I don't like injections?

There is FluMist, a nasal spray vaccine, for people 2 to 49 years old.

- If you have asthma?

Any flu can be aggravated by asthma. Children can be treated with Tamiflu when the first symptoms appear, but need to ask a doctor. Strict adherence to the use of asthma medications, including having an " emergency spray " with you when you have an asthma attack.

- So diabetes?

Flu can increase the blood sugar level of people with diabetes, so check regularly and call your doctor for treatment. Check the ketone level.

- My child is told to always bring toilet hand sanitizer to school and use it regularly. Did you notice anything?

Just keep out of reach of children, they can drink it.

- So why not check everyone?

Quick tests only tell you if you have the flu and not the flu strain. More complex tests often take a lot of time.