Why Would I Get the Flu Again After Being Well for 2 Months
Anyone who has had the influenza knows it's not a pleasant experience. Fever, fatigue, runny nose, cough and musculus aches can make you feel pretty miserable. And once yous go over the flu, you lot certainly won't desire to get ill again.
Well there's proficient news and bad news on that front. I'll start with the bad news. Information technology is possible to get the flu twice during the aforementioned flu season. Since there are two types of influenza strains – flu A and influenza B – if you get influenza A, you tin can besides get influenza B.
But there is some good news. If you get flu A, your body will develop antibodies for influenza A that provide protection against it. Also, while the flu A antibodies won't protect you from getting flu B, having flu A doesn't increase your risk of getting influenza B. Plus flu B typically doesn't cause as serious of an infection.
So if y'all've had the flu once, what can you lot do to keep from getting the flu again? The tried and true communication still applies.
i. Go an annual influenza shot.
The all-time way to protect yourself and others is past getting the flu vaccine every year. It decreases the risk of acquiring the infection and it tin decrease the severity if you lot practise learn it.
Influenza viruses aren't like other viruses where you become them once and you lot're protected for life. Influenza viruses changes from year to yr. A lot of inquiry goes into predicting the changes only it's a prediction, so it'south not always 100 percent accurate. That's what accounts for some of the variability and effectiveness of the vaccine.
2. Stay domicile when you're sick and encourage others to do the same.
When you're sick or a family fellow member is ill, it's really important to stay home until y'all're better. For most people, information technology takes about a week to get over the flu. Staying home that long may exist a hard pill to swallow in a culture of presentism, simply it'south something you really should do.
People infected with the flu can shred the virus for v to seven days after developing it. The flu is typically spread through cough. Cover your cough past coughing into your elbow and non into your manus.
To reduce the risk of infecting others, sleep in some other room from other family unit members, don't get really shut and avoid high-risk populations such as infants, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
If you or a coworker returns to work or school early, you risk getting others sick.
3. Wash your hands.
All the fourth dimension but especially during flu season, skillful hand hygiene is of import. Wash your hands frequently with lather and water or utilize an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your hands to your optics and rima oris.
four. Drink enough of fluids and see if you're a candidate for an antiviral medication.
One of the of import things for treatment and overall health is hydration. When hydration is recommended, water is ever ideal. In that location can be a lot of fluid loss with the fever acquired by the flu. Medications similar ibuprofen and acetaminophen can provide symptom relief.
If you can start the antiviral Tamiflu in the first 24 to 48 hours of symptom onset, it can decrease the symptom duration and viral shedding by nearly a twenty-four hours. It'southward also likely can subtract the adventure of astringent complications.
Why is the influenza so serious?
The flu is well known to predispose people to secondary bacterial infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis and ear infections, among others. Information technology'due south really important for people to know when they develop influenza if they are getting ameliorate and then go worse again, they need to exist evaluated for a secondary bacterial infection.
A significant number of deaths related to influenza are attributed to the secondary infections people develop. These infections tin happen at the same time patients have the flu, in that menses right after they develop it or every bit they are recovering.
Shandra Day is an infectious disease physician at The Ohio State Academy Wexner Medical Center.
Source: https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/what-to-do-to-keep-from-getting-the-flu-again