It can be very unpleasant, but you'll usually begin to feel better within about a week. You can catch flu all year round, but it's especially common in winter, which is why it's also known as seasonal flu.
Flu isn't 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. 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. If you're otherwise fit and healthy, there's usually no need to see your GP if you have flu-like symptoms.
If you're concerned about coronavirus COVID , be mindful of our ibuprofen advice on the coronavius page. 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 GP may recommend taking antiviral medicine to reduce your symptoms and help you recover more quickly.
Read more about antiviral medication for flu. You should begin to feel much better within a week or so, although you may feel tired for much longer. You'll usually be most infectious from the day your symptoms start and for a further 3 to 7 days. Children and people with weaker immune systems may remain infectious for longer.
Most people will make a full recovery and won't experience any further problems, but elderly people and people with certain long-term medical conditions are more likely to have a bad case of flu or develop a serious complication, such as a chest infection. Read more about the complications of 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.
Influenza Flu. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. Common Flu Symptoms. What CDC Does. To receive weekly email updates about Seasonal Flu, enter your email address: Email Address. One option is to go to work and operate on a reduced schedule.
Your kids are getting sick. So if you are under the weather and you suspect they are too, stay home with the kids and take your entire family out of the contagious illness loop, at least for one day. Your co-workers will have to pick up the slack when you are out, so do the same for them, without complaining or second-guessing how sick they were. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. You should always consult your doctor before making decisions about your health. Posted by Revere Health. People are generally infectious with flu symptoms depending on certain factors: Healthy adults: Infectious from the day before symptoms show up through days after Children: Infectious for 10 or more days after symptoms show up Severe cases: For people with compromised immune systems, the infectious state may last weeks or even months in some cases Return to Work Criteria Some basic criteria that generally must be met before returning to work in most workplaces include the following, each of which must be present: Five or more days since symptoms began No fever symptoms for 24 hours or longer Improving cough Here are some other general questions you can ask that will give good indicators of your health status — these can be beneficial for you returning to work, but also for sending kids in the home back to school and similar areas.
These include: Am I still regularly coughing or sneezing? This is the primary method of spreading the disease, so you should avoid contact if this is still the case.
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