These days, coughs and colds are everywhere. Some people have body aches and high fevers. Although we think it's just a "cold", this could be something a little more serious, that is, a 'flu'. So what's the difference between the two? Why can this be so serious? Let's talk about this precisely, simply.
Are colds and flu the same thing?
Yes, that's definitely two. There are over 100 types of viruses that cause the common cold that we all get
. But the flu we're talking about, or in medical terms,
influenza, is caused by a specific group of viruses called
influenza viruses . There are three main types of this group of influenza viruses:
A ,
B , and
C. To make it simple, let's look at these in a table.
| Virus Type | Characteristics and effect | Is there a vaccine? |
|---|
| Influenza A | This type causes major seasonal epidemics. Symptoms can be severe. This virus is also found in animals such as birds and pigs. | Yes, it is covered by the annual flu vaccine. |
| Influenza B | This type also causes seasonal epidemics. But the symptoms are usually milder than type A. This is only found in humans. | Yes, it is covered by the annual flu vaccine. |
| Influenza C | This causes only very mild respiratory symptoms and does not cause major epidemics. | No, there is no vaccine for this. |
How does this flu spread from person to person?
Flu is
a highly contagious disease. Imagine you're riding a bus and someone next to you sneezes. They don't even cover their mouth with their hand. Those germs go straight into the air. If you then breathe in that air, you can get the disease. There are several main ways it spreads:
- From coughing and sneezing: The virus is contained in droplets released when a patient coughs or sneezes.
- Through kissing: It can be easily spread through close contact, especially through kissing.
- By touching things: This is where most people don't pay attention. The virus can live for hours on things we touch every day, such as banknotes, bus handles, doorknobs, office phones, and computer keyboards. If an infected person touches these things and then you touch them, the virus can get on your hands.
The important thing is, it's not enough for the virus to get on your hands. It's when you touch your own eyes, nose, or mouth with that virus-contaminated hand that the virus opens a door for it to enter your body.
Why does this disease occur more often during the cold/rainy season?
In Sri Lanka, flu outbreaks occur at certain times, especially during the rainy season. It spreads rapidly among children in schools and people in offices. There are several reasons for this. 1.
The virus stays indoors for a longer period of time: During the rainy season, when it is cold, we stay indoors most of the time. The windows and doors are closed. Then the humidity in the air is low. In this dry air, the influenza virus can survive for a longer period of time. 2.
Close contact: Another thing is that we are in close proximity to each other during this time. On the bus, on the train, in the office... This increases the chance of person-to-person transmission. 3.
Increased chance of inhalation: In such a closed environment, if someone coughs or sneezes, the germs have been floating in the air for a longer period of time. Then we are more likely to inhale them.
If I get the flu, how long can I infect someone else?
Here's a very important point: You can still spread the flu to someone else
for up to 7 days after you start having symptoms .
The amazing thing is, you can transmit the virus to someone else a day before you start showing symptoms . That means you can infect someone else before you even feel sick!
That's why sometimes we can't even imagine, "Where did I get this?" Young children can sometimes spread the disease to others even in the second week after they get sick.
So how are we surviving this?
There are some simple, yet very effective things we can do to stay safe from this.
- Keep your hands clean: The most important thing is to wash your hands regularly with soap and water . Make it a habit to wash your hands every time you come back from the house, before eating, after using the toilet... It's also a good idea to keep a hand sanitizer handy.
- Avoid touching your face: Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with your hands as much as possible . We touch our faces about a hundred times a day without realizing it. Try to reduce that habit.
- Wear a mask: Wearing a mask is a great way to protect yourself when going to crowded places, especially during flu season. It also helps to prevent you from spreading the virus to others if you are sick.
- Get a Flu Shot : Getting a flu shot is the best scientific way to protect yourself from the flu. It is made to target the strains of influenza virus (A and B) that are most likely to cause a pandemic each year. You can find out more about this by asking your doctor . He or she will advise you exactly when and if you need one.
Take-Home Message
- Influenza is a viral infection that is different from the common cold and can be more severe.
- It is spread by germs released into the air through coughing and sneezing, and by touching contaminated objects and then touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with those same hands.
- You can spread this disease to someone else a day before you start showing symptoms.
- This can be protected by washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching your face, wearing a mask in crowded places, and getting the flu vaccine.
- If you have a cold with a high fever and body aches, be sure to see your doctor for advice, as it could be the flu.
Flu, influenza, cold, fever, virus, infectious disease, flu vaccine.
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