The holiday season is upon us. And like it or not, the flu is looming in the background.
Dr. Amar Athwal, a family physician at the Ashburn office of Kaiser Permanente, says it’s too early to tell whether this season’s strain of flu will be particularly fierce. But he warns that Thanksgiving is the unofficial start of the high point of flu season. The indoor get-togethers and crowded travel conditions are “usually what kicks off flu season,” he says. And the numbers continue to rise until about February or March.
Flu Vaccine
There are a few things you can do to give yourself better odds during flu season. First and foremost, Athwal says, is a flu vaccine. “You introduce the body to an inactive virus and it produces antibodies to it, so that when you are exposed to the flu virus, you may be able to fight it off completely and avoid getting sick. Or if you do get it, you’ll already have defense against it and hopefully have a milder case,” he says.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a reported increase in refusal to take vaccines. Athwal says he understands people’s skepticism. But encourages talking directly to a doctor.
“It’s better for them to talk to an expert and then they can make their own mind up about vaccines. You know, vaccines have been around in several different forms for decades, and the flu vaccine has been around for decades. It is safe. It doesn’t cause any long-term side effects in over 99 percent of people. And it works like any other vaccine.”
It’s not just for yourself. Some people — such as those who are immunocompromised, cancer patients, and infants — may not be able to take the vaccine. So every person who does reduces the chances of passing a virus on to the unprotected. Every case that we don’t get as a society weakens the virus and helps slow transmission.
Other Steps
While the vaccine is critical, it’s not the only way you can increase your odds of getting through the next few months healthy. Most practices should be familiar advice.
“Wash your hands frequently,” Athwal says. Use hand sanitizer whenever you can. And try not to touch your face. “I don’t want to blame the kids, but we do see them as the source of a lot of our illnesses. Because kids are kids — they’re running around, sniffling, rubbing their face, touching tables, touching toys, and then spreading it to other kids who spread it to their parents.”
“The biggest way we do get sick is by touching something and then touching our face and bringing a virus or bacteria that we touched into contact with our nose and mouth.” That’s why handwashing and hand sanitizer are so important, as people travel and touch things that unfamiliar people have been in contact with. Even after you’ve touched something with the virus, washing your hands soon after is “almost 100 percent effective” at protecting you, Athwal says.
“And in some cases,” he says, “if you are sick and traveling, as a courtesy to everyone else, wear a mask, so you don’t get other people on the plane, train, or car ride sick.” Athwal says that if you do in fact catch the flu, consult with your doctor quickly. You may be able to get prescription antivirals for the flu, such as Tamiflu, in moderate to severe cases.
Feature image, Prostock-studio/stock.adobe.com
