Flu

A condition that may be commonly encountered in just about every location is the influenza virus. The flu can cost adults and children several days of being sick and it has a very high rate of transmissibility. The flu can be found just about everywhere and is particularly prevalent around the winter months when everyone is in close quarters with little ventilation and children are in school. Early recognition and treatment are essential to reducing the spread and duration of the illness.

My role as a local medical expert is to recognize the signs and symptoms of the flu and if early enough I can prescribe treatment to help lessen the duration of the flu. Additionally, in doing so I should make sure that the patient receives bedrest and avoid contacts with others, especially those without a flu vaccine. I should also be careful to distinguish between the flu and the common cold which may not be affected by the treatment for the flu. Additionally, the influenza virus is a preventable condition for which a new vaccine of the most likely strain to come that year come out once a year. I feel it is also my role to encourage people to get their flu vaccine to avoid falling prey to this virus and additionally help to dispel some of the false beliefs surrounding vaccines and their safety/efficacy

The flu costs the community many sick days and the effect of the flu can linger for some time, making people more fatigued. Avoiding the flu altogether by actively encouraging patients to take the vaccine is the best way of avoiding the problems associated with the illness.

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