Five Things To Remember About the Flu

Influenza is a deadly disease that kills hundreds of people each year, and one that has killed tens of millions in the past. So how come you don't know so much about it? If you want to beat such a deadly illness, you might want to read on. Here are five facts about the flu that you need to keep in mind.

Number One: The Flu Is Dangerous to Your Health

You may not think that it is, given today's present state of medical development. The flu is often taken to be something that happens as a matter of course, especially if you have not taken a flu shot. Although hundreds of thousands of people die each year of the flu worldwide, we might even be perversely thankful for that. A little less than a hundred years ago, tens of millions of people were dying from the flu, in what was dubbed the Spanish flu Pandemic. As recently as 40 years ago, one million people died in Hong Kong because of an outbreak of the flu.

So the next time flu season comes along, don't just shrug it off. It's not much of a stretch to say that the flu has killed fifty million people in the past century. With such a deadly killer on the loose, you would be remiss not get your annual flu shot. After all, don't you want to stay away from something so dangerous?

Number Two: The Flu Has Many Symptoms

The flu causes your body to exhibit a number of symptoms, none of them particularly pleasant. These symptoms include muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, runny nose, stuffed nose, stomach problems, fever, and many others. It lowers your powers of resistance and can exacerbate other conditions, especially those that involve the heart, the lungs, and the kidneys.

Number Three: The Flu is Contagious

Current strains of human influenza are transmitted through a variety of ways, but mostly by contact with airborne viruses. When infected people sneeze, talk, and even spit, the virus is transmitted. Accordingly, people who have the flu should stay away from other people, and other people should stay away from someone who is infected.

Number Four: The Flu Is Changing

Influenza strains are constantly in a state of mutation. This means that each year, they are at least slightly different from the preceding year. To combat this, a different vaccine mix is prepared each year. The fact that flu viruses change from year to year can be a cause for concern: there might come a time when our vaccines no longer work against it.

Number Five: The Flu Can Be Prevented

The flu is dangerous, true, but it can be prevented. An annual flu shot is usually the best course to take to avoid its ill effects. The flu shot, which is covered by most insurance policies, contains the virus strains that scientists and medical practitioners believe to be currently spreading among the population. These viruses are weakened and "fed" to your immune system, which soon envelops, destroys, and becomes more efficient against the invaders.