Influenza (or flu) is a highly contagious viral respiratory tract infection. About five to 20 percent of people in the U.S. get the flu each year. Influenza usually comes on abruptly, with fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and a nonproductive cough. Influenza viruses continually change (mutate) which causes new strains of the virus that can potentially make you fall ill.
Nathan Waldrep, MD, discusses the different strains of the flu as well as the best ways to prevent and treat them.
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This podcast is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This podcast does not create a physician-patient relationship. You should always consult your physician or other healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.
Different Strains of the Flu
Featured Speaker:
Learn more about Nathan K. Waldrep, MD
Nathan K. Waldrep, MD
Dr. Nathan Waldrep is board certified in family medicine. He completed his undergraduate education at Walker College and Birmingham Southern College, where he majored in Chemistry. He is a graduate from The University of Alabama School of Medicine. He served at BayFront Convenient Care Clinics as a Medical Director for 20+ years before coming to BayCare in 2014. He now serves as the Director of Physician Services at BayCare Urgent Care.Learn more about Nathan K. Waldrep, MD
Transcription:
Different Strains of the Flu
Melanie Cole (Host): Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different. My guest is Dr. Nathan Waldrep. He’s a Family Medicine physician with BayCare. Dr. Waldrep, welcome to the show. Explain a little bit about influenza and the devastating effect it can have around the globe.
Nathan K. Waldrep, MD (Guest): And thank you for asking me to join today. Quite an honor. Influenza around the globe and here especially in the United States, is probably our main viral upper respiratory illness that causes the most impact in the health of our population; but also, the impact it has in the overall production and health of society in general.
Melanie: Should people get vaccinated?
Dr. Waldrep: Yes, the Centers for Disease Control and myself as a clinician, always encourage people to get vaccinated anytime there is clinical activity in your region and vaccines supplies are still available.
Melanie: Then tell us a little bit about how the vaccines are made Dr. If you would explain to the listeners a little bit about. How are vaccinations even figured out?
Dr. Waldrep: There is a lot of science around the vaccine, its manufacturer and the actual components of the vaccine each year. But it is a lot of forecasting and guesswork. What the scientists and the pharmaceutical companies do each year, is they evaluate and determine and predict what strains of the flu virus will be circulating a year following; a year from now. And based on that prediction, they then manufacturer the flu virus to meet the expected need. The problem is, it’s almost like trying to pack to go on vacation a year from now and you are packing based on what you predict the weather to be. But Mother Nature and weather may not be as predicted. You may pack the wrong items. Occasionally, we pack the wrong vaccines into the flu virus and that’s part of what we encountered this year.
Melanie: So, speak about what if you do get the flu. Now first of all, if you get the vaccine; can you still get the flu?
Dr. Waldrep: Absolutely. The myth is that I had the flu vaccine, hence I cannot get the flu. No, you are much less likely to get the flu and should you develop the flu, you tend to have a less severe illness and a shorter duration of illness.
Melanie: Tell us about Tamiflu or what should we do if we suspect? How do we know it’s not just a cold? Is there a big difference between the flu and a cold and what do you do if you suspect this is what’s starting to happen?
Dr. Waldrep: I simplify that question to my patients in the following manner. A cold and a flu both have in common that they are viral upper respiratory infections that have in common the symptoms of sore throat, runny nose and cough. The difference is most people can get the job done even when they have a cold. With the flu; your degree of misery is much higher and with the flu, patients tend to be bedridden for a period of days, where they are confined to home and cannot leave. The symptoms of the cold and the flu may be different, but their impact on your overall function and the risk for further health complications is vastly different.
Melanie: What’s Tamiflu intended to do if your doctor prescribes that, because they think right away, you have got the flu; they have tested you. What is it even intended to do?
Dr. Waldrep: Similar to how an antibiotic is targeted to help either kill or inhibit the growth of a bacterial infection to help us recover; the same with Tamiflu. It is a unique antiviral drug that is directed specifically against the influenza viruses. Their use is to help prevent complications in those most vulnerable but also to help speed recovery and decrease severity of the illness in some members of the general population.
Melanie: Dr. Waldrep, if you do come down with the flu; how long are you contagious, how long should you stay off of work and or keep your children home?
Dr. Waldrep: The general guideline is that you should refrain from exposure to others for at least 24 hours after you have had no fever and have not been taking any over the counter medicine that could be masking your fever.
Melanie: What about coughing? Sometimes that can go on for quite a long time.
Dr. Waldrep: It can be. It’s typically normal to have a dry, hacky cough for sometimes two to four weeks after having the flu. But you are not contagious any longer if you have not had a fever in the past 24 hours.
Melanie: That was a very good answer Dr. and what about people who cannot get the vaccine? What’s the best way to protect children that are too young to receive the vaccine and or people that might be immunocompromised?
Dr. Waldrep: Number one is basic hygiene. Everybody should wash their hands, cover your cough and if you suspect that you are in the same region or environment with someone with influenza; keep your distance. Try to maintain a bubble buffer of around 8-10 feet from you or someone else you suspect might be ill.
Melanie: Wrap it up for us with your best advice about prevention and things that we can do to keep our immune systems healthy.
Dr. Waldrep: Eat well, get plenty of rest, get plenty of exercise, take care of your body, because that will then help take care of your immune system. If you have not been vaccinated, please do get the vaccine. The vaccine is safe, it is effective and while it also gives benefit to you personally from contracting the flu; the more people in the population that have been vaccinated, decreases the likelihood of population spread of the virus to others. So, when you get vaccinated, you are doing something good for yourself, but you are also doing something good for your fellow man.
Melanie: Thank you so much Dr. Waldrep for being with us today and sharing your expertise in this very important topic. You’re listening to BayCare Health Chat. And for more information, please visit www.baycare.org that’s www.baycare.org. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for tuning in.
Different Strains of the Flu
Melanie Cole (Host): Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different. My guest is Dr. Nathan Waldrep. He’s a Family Medicine physician with BayCare. Dr. Waldrep, welcome to the show. Explain a little bit about influenza and the devastating effect it can have around the globe.
Nathan K. Waldrep, MD (Guest): And thank you for asking me to join today. Quite an honor. Influenza around the globe and here especially in the United States, is probably our main viral upper respiratory illness that causes the most impact in the health of our population; but also, the impact it has in the overall production and health of society in general.
Melanie: Should people get vaccinated?
Dr. Waldrep: Yes, the Centers for Disease Control and myself as a clinician, always encourage people to get vaccinated anytime there is clinical activity in your region and vaccines supplies are still available.
Melanie: Then tell us a little bit about how the vaccines are made Dr. If you would explain to the listeners a little bit about. How are vaccinations even figured out?
Dr. Waldrep: There is a lot of science around the vaccine, its manufacturer and the actual components of the vaccine each year. But it is a lot of forecasting and guesswork. What the scientists and the pharmaceutical companies do each year, is they evaluate and determine and predict what strains of the flu virus will be circulating a year following; a year from now. And based on that prediction, they then manufacturer the flu virus to meet the expected need. The problem is, it’s almost like trying to pack to go on vacation a year from now and you are packing based on what you predict the weather to be. But Mother Nature and weather may not be as predicted. You may pack the wrong items. Occasionally, we pack the wrong vaccines into the flu virus and that’s part of what we encountered this year.
Melanie: So, speak about what if you do get the flu. Now first of all, if you get the vaccine; can you still get the flu?
Dr. Waldrep: Absolutely. The myth is that I had the flu vaccine, hence I cannot get the flu. No, you are much less likely to get the flu and should you develop the flu, you tend to have a less severe illness and a shorter duration of illness.
Melanie: Tell us about Tamiflu or what should we do if we suspect? How do we know it’s not just a cold? Is there a big difference between the flu and a cold and what do you do if you suspect this is what’s starting to happen?
Dr. Waldrep: I simplify that question to my patients in the following manner. A cold and a flu both have in common that they are viral upper respiratory infections that have in common the symptoms of sore throat, runny nose and cough. The difference is most people can get the job done even when they have a cold. With the flu; your degree of misery is much higher and with the flu, patients tend to be bedridden for a period of days, where they are confined to home and cannot leave. The symptoms of the cold and the flu may be different, but their impact on your overall function and the risk for further health complications is vastly different.
Melanie: What’s Tamiflu intended to do if your doctor prescribes that, because they think right away, you have got the flu; they have tested you. What is it even intended to do?
Dr. Waldrep: Similar to how an antibiotic is targeted to help either kill or inhibit the growth of a bacterial infection to help us recover; the same with Tamiflu. It is a unique antiviral drug that is directed specifically against the influenza viruses. Their use is to help prevent complications in those most vulnerable but also to help speed recovery and decrease severity of the illness in some members of the general population.
Melanie: Dr. Waldrep, if you do come down with the flu; how long are you contagious, how long should you stay off of work and or keep your children home?
Dr. Waldrep: The general guideline is that you should refrain from exposure to others for at least 24 hours after you have had no fever and have not been taking any over the counter medicine that could be masking your fever.
Melanie: What about coughing? Sometimes that can go on for quite a long time.
Dr. Waldrep: It can be. It’s typically normal to have a dry, hacky cough for sometimes two to four weeks after having the flu. But you are not contagious any longer if you have not had a fever in the past 24 hours.
Melanie: That was a very good answer Dr. and what about people who cannot get the vaccine? What’s the best way to protect children that are too young to receive the vaccine and or people that might be immunocompromised?
Dr. Waldrep: Number one is basic hygiene. Everybody should wash their hands, cover your cough and if you suspect that you are in the same region or environment with someone with influenza; keep your distance. Try to maintain a bubble buffer of around 8-10 feet from you or someone else you suspect might be ill.
Melanie: Wrap it up for us with your best advice about prevention and things that we can do to keep our immune systems healthy.
Dr. Waldrep: Eat well, get plenty of rest, get plenty of exercise, take care of your body, because that will then help take care of your immune system. If you have not been vaccinated, please do get the vaccine. The vaccine is safe, it is effective and while it also gives benefit to you personally from contracting the flu; the more people in the population that have been vaccinated, decreases the likelihood of population spread of the virus to others. So, when you get vaccinated, you are doing something good for yourself, but you are also doing something good for your fellow man.
Melanie: Thank you so much Dr. Waldrep for being with us today and sharing your expertise in this very important topic. You’re listening to BayCare Health Chat. And for more information, please visit www.baycare.org that’s www.baycare.org. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for tuning in.