This year alone, during an outbreak of influenza, 78 people under 65 years old, have lost their lives. While the death toll is appalling, authorities have said that the percent of death attributed to the common flu has decreased since last year. So, the big gun were rolled against the flu outbreak, in an attempt to prevent other deaths related to influenza.

Health authorities from all around the United States have confirmed that in 2016, a new vaccine for the flu will be made available. But, as we know, the best medicine against any disease is prevention. So, let’s take a quick look of some of the more common symptoms related to influenza in order to see how we can protect ourselves.

First of all, let’s discuss a little about the flu. What is flu? Influenza is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus called orthomyxoviridae. The most common signs that point out to influenza are: very high fever, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, violent coughing and headache.

The influenza virus has an incubation period of approximately two days. A typical case of influenza lasts between 2 and 7 days.

In very rare cases, children coming down with the flu may experience symptoms like nausea and even vomiting. However this symptoms were not experienced by adults.

Influenza, however mild it may seem at first glance, could produce some serious complication if it is left untreated. Among the nastiest complications of influenza are viral pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia. In some cases, patients that experienced influenza complication also complained of sinus infections. Also, people who have additional problems such as asthma or have experienced heart issues come down with worse forms of influenza. ‘

The flu is an airborne virus, meaning that if someone near you is infected, it could very well pass it down to you if he/she sneezed towards you. Moreover, you can even get the flu if you touch surfaces that have been previously infected by the virus.

So, what are the best ways to protect ourselves during the flu season? Medical practitioners advise their patients to regularly wash their hands. It seems that a couple of compounds found in the soap are capable of silencing the virus. Also, it would be a good idea to keep a surgical mask with you in case you’re meeting someone who has the flu.But the best way to get away from the flu is through frequent vaccination.

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