diagnosed with the flu: managing symptoms, vaccination and self-care

every year in canada an estimated five to 10 per cent of adults and as many as 20 to 30 per cent of children are infected with flu , typically in the late fall and winter. kids are back to school, and what’s now called “freshman flu” strikes the wave of college and university students starting their first fall term. it’s also a time of year when we’re all spending more time indoors in closer contact with others.

the public health agency of canada notes the 2022 to 2023 flu season was “relatively early, extraordinary in intensity, and short in length,” with a total of 74,344 laboratory-confirmed influenza detections reported out of 1,188,962 total laboratory tests. this is both the most detections, and most tests ever recorded in a single season, as test counts have increased dramatically from pre-pandemic seasons that saw an average of 276,592 tests and 47,018 detections from 2014 to 2015 through to the 2018 to 2019 season. the flu is making the rounds as people, including vulnerable seniors and parents with young kids, are turning to healthcare providers for diagnosis and care.

as campaigns for flu vaccination ramp up, the public health agency of canada has put out a recommendation that adults aged 65 and older get a high-dose flu vaccine if available for better protection than the standard dose. in one large randomized controlled trial, people 65 years and older who received fluzone high dose vaccine were 18 to 24 per cent less likely to have laboratory-confirmed influenza than people who received fluzone standard dose. the effectiveness is related to higher rates of antibody production to fight off the virus.

know the flu symptoms and understand the risks

• heart attack or cardiac issues including myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle
• stroke because of blood clots caused by inflammation

• asthma
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• diabetes
• heart disease
• kidney disease
• lung disease

underlying lung problems can rapidly make the flu a very serious situation, dr. dawn bowdish told healthing.ca . she’s a professor of immunology at mcmaster university in hamilton, ont., executive director of the firestone institute for respiratory health, and board member and scientific advisor for the lung health foundation. “when most commonly someone gets a viral infection, that triggers a massive inflammatory response to the point where their lungs will up with liquid, and they can’t breathe, and they end up in the hospital.”

get your flu shot

the best way to avoid the flu is vaccination – but numbers from the 2022 to 2023 flu season in canada reveal that only 43 per cent of adults aged 18 to 64 with chronic medical conditions were vaccinated. as well, vaccination coverage among seniors was 74 per cent which is closer to the coverage goal of 80 per cent but this had not improved significantly in recent years.

as the public health agency of canada notes, the world health organization makes yearly recommendations on what strains should be included in the vaccine based on global trends of what strains are circulating. a new flu vaccine is produced every year as a result, so it’s important to get the flu shot every year as well. flu viruses can change over time and the effectiveness of the flu shot can decrease over time. the flu shot is publicly funded across canada and recommended for everyone over six months old.

is it time to see your doctor?

despite your efforts to protect yourself, there’s always a chance you can get the flu. if it feels like a mild illness, make sure you get lots of rest and keep hydrated. the average healthy person will likely feel better within a week, except for a lingering dry cough that may take longer, according to the mayo clinic . but don’t ignore flu-like symptoms like fever, cough and body aches. if you’re in a high-risk group, talk to a healthcare provider right away for advice and management.

• difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• chest pain
• ongoing dizziness
• seizures
• worsening of existing medical conditions
• severe weakness or muscle pain
• emergency symptoms in children include all of the symptoms seen in adults, as well as:
• grey or blue, lips or nail beds

if you’re at high risk for complications or are experiencing serious symptoms linked to flu, your healthcare provider may prescribe an antiviral medication. there are two antiviral drugs that are licensed in canada for the treatment and prevention of influenza a and b, including oseltamivir (tamiflu) and zanamivir (ralenza), notes ottawa public health. these drugs are neuraminidase inhibitors. they block the exit of the influenza virus from the respiratory cells, preventing further replication and spread of the virus. for this reason, it’s important that antivirals for flu are started as soon as possible within 48 hours of symptom onset.

ontarians can call 811 (formerly telehealth) or chat online with a registered nurse to get health advice and information. visit health connect ontario to access the chat service. residents in all other provinces and territories can also call 811 to connect with a nurse in the case of a non-urgent health issue.

make self-care a priority

• rest is a must, so plant to change or cancel activities depending on your symptoms
• drink plenty of fluids, including water and warm soup
• take acetaminophen (tylenol or others) or ibuprofen (advil, motrin or others). these over-the-counter drugs can help lower fever and help with muscle aches or headache
• caution: don’t give products containing aspirin to kids or teens recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms, says the mayo clinic: “aspirin has been linked to reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, in those situations.”