Are you aware of influenza? Let's talk about it simply!

Are you feeling a little unwell or feverish these days? Maybe it's the flu. It's a disease that feels a little worse than a common cold, but what exactly is it? So today, let's talk about this disease called influenza. How can we protect ourselves from it, and what to do if we get it?

What is this flu (Influenza)?

Simply put, the flu is an infection that affects our respiratory system . That is, it mainly affects your nose, throat, and lungs. The cause of this is a virus. This virus spreads very quickly from one person to another. This flu virus spreads most often during the cold weather months . In countries like America, it is called the flu season from October to May. In our country, too, we can see an outbreak of this at certain times. So, this is not just a cold, but something that needs to be taken into account.

What are the symptoms of influenza?

When you get the flu, you feel worse than you would with a common cold. For most people, the flu virus doesn't start to show symptoms until about two days after you get it. You may experience symptoms like:

• Sudden high fever
• My body is going cold, my legs are shaking .
• Severe headache
• My whole body hurts, especially my muscles.
• Like dizziness
• Appetite
• Tiredness, feeling of weakness
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Leaking of fluids
• Nausea or vomiting
• Weakness
• Earache
• Sometimes diarrhea

When young babies get the flu, they may suddenly become more agitated than usual , or they may appear to be 'not feeling well.' Since they can't communicate well, it's important for parents to be especially attentive to these symptoms.

Why does this flu (influenza) occur?

The name flu comes from the virus that causes it - the influenza virus . It spreads very easily. The virus is in the tiny droplets that come out when someone coughs or sneezes. If other people breathe them in, they become infected. Imagine, if someone sneezes in your area, the virus can reach you in a matter of seconds!

Not only that, these viruses can be found on things like doorknobs, money, bus handles, shopping carts, etc. If someone touches those surfaces and then touches their nose, mouth, or eyes with the same hand, the virus can also enter the body.

Is influenza a contagious disease? How quickly does it spread?

Yes, the flu is a very contagious disease. A person can spread it to others from the day before symptoms start until the symptoms go away. For an adult, this can be about a week. But young children can be contagious for even longer. That's why it's recommended to stay home when you have the flu, to protect others.

Flu usually occurs as an epidemic every year. An epidemic is a rapid spread of a disease to many people in a certain area at the same time. In some years, this epidemic can be very severe, spreading over a large area. When such an epidemic spreads throughout the world, it is called a pandemic . This is very rare. There were three major influenza pandemics in the 20th century, and there has been only one in the 21st century, the influenza A `(H1N1)` virus that came out in 2009.

How do you know for sure if you have the flu?

Often, doctors can tell if a child has the flu just by looking at their appearance, because little ones with the flu usually look very sick and miserable.

However, there are other infections that can cause symptoms similar to the flu. So, if a doctor wants to be sure it's influenza, they may do a test. They will use a long cotton swab (`(swab)`) to take a sample of mucus from your nose or throat. Sometimes the results are available quickly, or it can take a while if you send it to a lab.

What should you do if you get the flu? What are the treatments?

Many children and adults who get the flu recover at home. If you or your child gets the flu, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Drink plenty of water and fluids (such as juice, porridge, soup) to prevent dehydration .
• Get enough sleep and rest . Stop running around and playing, stop working for a while. Rest is very important for the body.
• You can take/give paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce fever and relieve body aches.

Very important: Never give aspirin to young children and young adults (especially those under 19 years of age). This is because it has been linked to a very dangerous, potentially fatal condition called Reye syndrome . This affects the liver and brain.

• When dressing, dress in layers that are easy to remove. When you have a fever, you may feel cold at one time and hot at another.

Children with the flu should be kept away from school and daycare until they are better. They should be returned to school, without fever-reducing medication, after they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours . Some children may need to stay home longer. Ask your doctor what is best for your child.

When is medical treatment needed?

Sometimes, if your child is very sick, or if they are at high risk for severe symptoms (we'll talk about that later), doctors may prescribe antiviral medicine . This medicine can shorten the duration of the flu by a day or two. However, for best results, it should be taken as soon as flu symptoms start.This medication should be started within 48 hours . If the doctor prescribes an antiviral medication for your child, ask about possible side effects.

Important: Doctors do not give antibiotics for the flu. This is because antibiotics only work against bacteria, not viruses. Since the flu is a virus, antibiotics will not work.

Can influenza cause other complications? Who is at higher risk?

Yes, some people are more likely to develop complications when they get the flu. That means they can get more serious conditions than just the flu. These risk groups include:

• Young children under 5 years of age, especially infants (under 6 months) .
• People with a weakened immune system . This includes people who are taking chemotherapy or steroids for a long time, or people who have illnesses like HIV infection or cancer.
• People with chronic conditions such as asthma or diabetes.
• Children or young people who take aspirin regularly.
• Very fat people.
• Pregnant women or mothers who have recently had a baby (especially within 2 weeks of giving birth).
• People in long-term care facilities like nursing homes.
• People over 65 years of age.

If these people get the flu, their illness can be more severe. They can develop conditions like pneumonia or other bacterial infections that can make it even worse. If that happens, many people will need to be hospitalized. Therefore, it is very important to avoid bringing these people into contact with anyone who has the flu or has flu-like symptoms.

If someone has flu symptoms, it's best to stay away from people who could become very sick if they get the flu.

How long does the flu last?

Fever and other flu symptoms (such as sore throat and fatigue) usually go away within a week or so. However, some people may have a cough or feel unwell for a while afterwards. This may last for several weeks.

Can't you prevent getting influenza?

There is no way to completely prevent getting the flu. But getting a flu vaccine every year can help. Everyone should get this vaccine every year starting at age 6 months .

It is best to get the flu vaccine before the flu season starts, which is before the end of October (in our country, when doctors recommend it). But if you can't get it then, you can get it later, when the flu virus is spreading. Many doctors will give the flu vaccine until May if the flu virus is still circulating.

Children can get the flu vaccine at the same time as their other vaccines, such as the COVID-19 vaccine or the RSV vaccine. However, if your child is sick, has a fever, or is feeling unwell, talk to your doctor about whether you should postpone the flu vaccine.

As with many other germs, things like washing your hands well and often, wearing a face mask (especially in crowded places), and avoiding people who are sick can help protect you from getting the flu.

What else can be done?

If someone in your family has the flu, they can do these things to prevent spreading the illness to others:

• Never share your cups, plates, cutlery, or towels with others.
• Stay home from work or school until you feel better. This is good for your health and will help prevent the spread of the disease to others.
• When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue , then throw the tissue in the trash.
• If you don't have a tissue handy, practice coughing or sneezing into your upper arm (like your elbow) rather than your hand . This will reduce the chance of the virus getting on your hands.

So, what are the most important things we need to remember?

Okay, we've talked a lot about influenza. In short, here are some things you should definitely remember:

• The flu is a more serious illness than the common cold, so be aware of the symptoms.
• Getting a flu vaccine every year is the best way to protect yourself, especially if you are in a high-risk group.
• Practicing good hygiene practices (handwashing, wearing a face mask, and proper hand hygiene) can help reduce the spread of the disease.
• If you or your child gets the flu, get plenty of rest, drink fluids, and take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever and body aches. Never give aspirin to children (under 19 years of age).
• Keep people in high-risk groups (young children, the elderly, people with other chronic illnesses) away from people with the flu.
• If symptoms are severe (e.g., difficulty breathing, chest pain, persistent dizziness, severe vomiting), if the fever does not subside within a few days, or if you have any concerns , be sure to seek medical advice.

By following these steps, you can protect yourself and your family from the flu. Stay healthy!

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