What are the symptoms of the flu?
Flu symptoms come on suddenly. Suddenly you feel very bad. Typical flu symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, headache and body aches. You feel very sick.
When should you get vaccinated against the flu?
Flu waves, i.e. times with increased influenza activity, usually begin in January and last three to four months. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) generally advises getting vaccinated against seasonal flu in October or November. This is the ideal time to be protected at the height of a flu outbreak. Because the effectiveness of vaccination protection is limited.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
Influenza viruses are cunning and versatile: they are constantly changing. Each year, therefore, a new seasonal vaccine must be developed that is effective against the current influenza viruses that are currently circulating. Older people and the chronically ill are among the risk groups that should be vaccinated every year. A flu vaccination usually does not offer 100% protection – especially in older people who produce fewer antibodies than younger people. If you get sick despite vaccination, it weakens the flu significantly.
Influenza risk groups are particularly at risk
For risk groups, influenza means a real danger, because the risk of a severe course of the disease is increased. The flu can have life-threatening complications. The most important are pneumonia or heart muscle inflammation. Both can be fatal and must be treated quickly with medication, otherwise life-threatening complications can occur, especially in immunocompromised people.
symptoms of influenza
Influenza often starts suddenly, many feel seriously ill within an hour. A high fever of more than 39 degrees usually occurs. Extremely severe pain in the limbs, muscles or bones and possibly a runny nose are possible accompanying symptoms. The question of whether you still go to work or not does not arise because you are too weak. After a flu you should take it easy for a while to avoid complications like pneumonia. The body needs time to recover from the infection.
Colds – annoying, but mostly harmless
A cold, or a flu-like infection, is much less dramatic and is a simple infection of the upper respiratory tract. Infections are triggered by around 200 different viruses, which are transmitted by smear or droplet infection. The viruses multiply in the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract. Wet and cold “dirty weather” promotes the spread of colds.
Cold – runny nose, cough, hoarseness
In the case of a flu-like infection, the sniffle predominates and you feel listless. Other typical symptoms: slight fever, slight body aches, sore throat or cough. Many still drag themselves to work. This is wrong, as it only delays healing and infects colleagues. Better to recover at home and drink a lot. Inhalations and nasal douches as well as expectorant preparations also relieve the symptoms.
Corona, flu or cold: Only a test can provide information
A mild course of Covid-19 and an infection with the corona mutant omicron make it difficult to distinguish between Covid-19 and a cold or flu. To be on the safe side and not to infect others, you should do a corona test if you have cold symptoms.
–
