Transcription:
Tips to Avoid the Flu

Melanie Cole (Host): Well, the peak of flu season may be winding down, but it’s never a bad time to discuss infectious disease prevention. My guest is Sandy Benson. She’s the Infection Preventionist at Hendrick’s Regional Health. Welcome to the show, Sandy. Sandy, how would you characterize what we have seen in this year’s flu season, and where are we at now?

Sandy Benson (Guest): Well, it was a bit of a surprise this season. We had a very mild season last year. This season turned out to be quite the surprise. We’ve recently peaked, and it’s taken quite a while – it’s been a long way to go. However, it is still out there. Individuals are still showing up in our immediate care centers and in the Emergency Room with influenza type symptoms. Here, in the state of Indiana, we’ve moved from a state of widespread to moderate, so we see a decline – beginning to see a decline.

Melanie: So, how would someone know that they have the flu? What are some initial symptoms? And then, is it too late for people to run to their doctors to get Tamiflu or even to get a vaccination?

Sandy: Well, actually, the symptoms of the flu and the common cold – they’re both respiratory illnesses, but they’re typically caused by different viruses. Because they are similar, they can have similar symptoms. The flu is worse than the common cold, and the symptoms are more common and intense. For example, people with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds do not typically result in serious problems such as pneumonia or bacterial infection, and you rarely need hospitalization for a cold.

However, flu can come with some very serious consequences or complications. You could end up having a fever, feeling chillish – chilled, feverish, cough. There could be a sore throat, runny or stuffy nose; body aches is a common one, headache, fatigue, and tiredness. The colds generally do not result in a serious health problem, but oftentimes people that have the flu can end up with a pretty serious case of things such as pneumonia. It is not too late to take an influenza vaccine. That’s the first step in flu prevention or at least lessen the chance of having a severe case of the flu, so, please. Often, people will go to their primary care physicians, but it is never too late to get a flu shot.

Melanie: If someone does have some of those symptoms, how long are they contagious? What’s your best advice as an Infection Preventionist, for skipping work and school? How long do we keep the kids home if they are sick, and how do we know when it’s okay to send them back?

Sandy: Well, if you are sick with flu-like illness, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, except to seek medical care or other necessities. Typically, your fever should be gone for 24 hours without having to take a fever-reducing medication. That could be anywhere from 5 to 7 days if it is indeed a case of flu. You also can be infectious before you even know that you have the flu. Sometimes, people aren’t aware that they’re coming down and they’re out and about, and that’s the time when they’re infectious and can spread the flu and not even be aware of it. They just come down sick.

Studies show that antiviral drugs for flu work best for treatment when they’re started within two days of getting sick. Starting them later can be especially helpful if the person is a high – has what we call a high-risk health condition or is very sick from the flu. We recommend that you follow your doctor’s instructions for taking this drug. People with high-risk factors should talk to their physician about an antiviral drug because it can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus having a very serious illness that could result in a hospital stay.

Melanie: Sandy, you mentioned a little bit about – you mentioned pneumonia before, and there are vaccines now, but people are asking about antibiotics all of the time. There is a stewardship statement, and we hear about the overuse of antibiotics, so which of these conditions that we’re discussing today, would an antibiotic be warranted for? What do you want people to know about that use?

Sandy: Well, an antibiotic is not something that you would use on a viral infection, and remember, flu and colds are typically caused by different viruses. A bacterial infection is about the only thing that your physician is probably going to prescribe an antibiotic for. Taking an antibiotic for a cold or flu is not recommended because it puts you in the situation where you’re taking something that really isn’t needed. It could lead to further complications down the line. You could become resistant if you’re taking antibiotics and you don’t really have a bacterial infection. You just never know. It’s very important to see your doctor, and if you’re unsure, describe your symptoms, don’t borrow other people’s medications. Typically, just because you feel that an antibiotic is warranted, the physician may feel that that isn’t necessary, so I always encourage folks to listen to their physician and don’t always ask for an antibiotic because it may not be warranted for your condition at this time.

Melanie: At this time of the year and when kids are in school, we’ve got colds, and obviously, this flu season, and then there are things like strep throat. How do we know, Sandy, when our kids come home, and they say, “Oh, my throat is so sore,” and we think, oh, so it’s a cold starting, or it could be the flu, it could be allergies, or it could be strep throat?

Sandy: I really encourage mothers and parents – they pretty much know their children pretty well – guardians, they know the children pretty well. Typically, you can tell the difference between your child – sometimes they’ll come home, and maybe they’re not their usual selves -- maybe they don’t have the high energy, or maybe they’re lying around, which might be unusual behavior for a normally active child -- I would immediately call my family physician or call my primary care provider and make an appointment, have them examine the child.

Sometimes, if it is a strep throat versus just a normal cold or a viral infection, that physician can pretty much make that determination. Sometimes tests are required. Sometimes the physician may do a rapid lab test in the office and may find out that the patient has a strep infection. It’s very important to tag team your physician, keep them in the loop – your primary care. Particularly, pediatricians are used to seeing children this time of year, and they have been very, very busy this year, with the number of cold and flu symptoms going around.

Melanie: Well, as a mother, the only good thing about strep is that you know that you’re going to get an antibiotic and the kid will feel better in 24 to 48 hours or so. Wrap it up for us, Sandy, with your best advice as an Infection Preventionist at Hendrick’s Regional Health, what you want people to know about colds, and flu, and pneumonia, and strep throat, and all of these infectious diseases that are out there and what we should do to try and prevent them?

Sandy: The best thing you can do, first of all, for flu, is get the vaccine. The vaccine is the first step. The second step is to stop the germs. A lot of times, we don’t wash our hands as often as we should. Cover a cough. If you’ve got a cough or if you’ve got a fever and you’re not feeling well, avoid crowds. A lot of times, people will come to work and not feel their best, or they’ll have a fever. Avoid going to work or to school if you’re feverish and not doing well. And then, if you do become ill, say with the flu, talk to your doctor. The doctor may recommend antiviral drugs. If they prescribe them, take them as ordered. If you’re in a special group, like what we call a high-risk for serious flu complications. This group includes young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease if you’re 65 or older, very much encourage you to get that vaccination. Wash those hands, avoid crowds, particularly when the flu season is high, and to make sure you clean and disinfect those surfaces at home. Wipe them down.

Melanie: Great advice. Thank you so much, Sandy, for being with us, today. This is Health Talks with HRH, Hendrick’s Regional Health. For more information, please visit Hendricks.org, that’s Hendricks.org This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much, for tuning in.