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what should you do if you have the flu?
if you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people—except to get medical care
3 minute read
flu education helps families to make the best decisions when it comes to prevention, reducing the spread of the virus and enjoying the colder months.
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when respiratory illness season starts, anyone can get the flu. the influenza virus spreads through respiratory droplets from people who are infected when they sneeze, cough or talk. but the virus also survives on surfaces, which means if you touch a contaminated object and then your mouth, nose or eyes, it can lead to infection.
it’s also tricky because an infected person can be contagious from a day before symptoms appear, so they don’t realize they could spread the virus. as well, others are at risk of contagion until about five to seven days after symptoms start, while kids and adults with weakened immune systems may be contagious for a slightly longer time.
getting the flu vaccine helps protect you from the latest strains by lowering your risk of infection or having serious illness as a result and needing to stay in the hospital.
so, if you have the flu, there are important steps to take.
don’t shrug it off as just a cold
as the u.s. centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) notes, flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms like fever, chills, body aches and congestion are usually more intense and begin more abruptly. these symptoms can be debilitating and last for days, even weeks. colds, which are caused by a number of different viruses, are milder than the flu, and more people with a cold develop a runny nose.
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colds generally do not result in serious health problems like the flu can lead to, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections or hospitalizations. surveillance for canada’s 2022 to 2023 seasonal influenza epidemic began in the week ending october 29, 2022 and lasted 10 weeks. the epidemic was “relatively early, extraordinary in intensity and short in length.” participating provinces and territories reported a total of 4,216 influenza-associated hospitalizations, with the highest rates among children aged 0 to 4 and adults aged 65 and older. pediatric hospitalizations exceeded historical averages.
stay home, rest and hydrate
if you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people—except to get medical care. hydration with water and hot liquids, such as herbal tea, is important to help maintain your body’s natural defence mechanisms and clear the virus. it also helps relieve symptoms, keeping the mucus membranes moist so they can trap and expel the virus.
stay away from others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. if you have to leave home, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or wear a mask to reduce the spread to others and protect yourself from breathing in infectious particles from people around you.
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manage symptoms with over-the-counter medications or prescriptions
common misconceptions about the flu include thinking that antibiotics will help or that there’s nothing you can do to shorten the illness. however, the flu is a distinct respiratory illness, antibiotics aren’t effective, and antiviral medications can reduce symptoms and duration if taken early, within the first 48 hours of symptoms. don’t give products containing aspirin to kids or teens recovering from flu-like symptoms. as a good rule of thumb, talk to a healthcare provider for guidance, particularly for kids or people with underlying health conditions.
wash your hands often!
this tried-and-true recommendation can help you prevent spreading the flu to others. research in the journal medicine showed a reduction in the risk of influenza associated with regular hand washing and a low frequency of hand-to-face contact. further, take other everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs, like cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
seek medical care if you’re at high risk
while the incidence of influenza and pneumonia increases in the winter, these illnesses claim lives year-round and are especially dangerous for people with a compromised immune system, diabetes or a chronic heart, lung or liver disease. see a healthcare provider early to get the help you need.
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resume regular activities only when you’re improving
as the cdc notes, you can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both your symptoms are getting better and you have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). if you return to your regular routine too soon, you may delay healing and put yourself at risk for complications. for example, if you exercise too soon, you can end up with muscle strain, heart-related issues such as myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), and potentially spread the infection to others.
flu education helps families to make the best decisions when it comes to prevention, reducing the spread of the virus and enjoying the colder months.
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