As many of you know, the flu this season is not friendly to the human race. Not that these flu’s usually are helpful to our bodies, but this particular flu virus is causing thousands of people to experience a cold and flu-like illnesses that may have never been felt before.
I recently just got over this flu. And let me tell you, this virus is not nice at all. I work from home, so contact with people outside of my house is rare. I went to a party for my stepfather’s birthday on a Sunday, then by mid-day Wednesday, I wasn’t feeling good. By Wednesday evening, I knew I was already sick. This virus stayed in my system for a good seven days. Most of my days I was in bed. I either was freezing or I was burning up. Most of the time, I would have a fever (my entire head just burning up) and the rest of my body would be ice cold. On the third day of bed rest and drinking lots of water, I finally decided to head to the hospital.
I found out many things about this flu online, but the nurses and doctors explained a few more things to me. The flu virus this year is named H3N2. This name usually implies that there will be more hospital visits and may be more cases of death than there usually is with the flu. There appears to be two categories to this flu from the research I have been able to find. Doctors have been telling patients that they either have Influenza Type A or Type B. Type B is typically not as severe as A. Typically, Type B is the cause for outbreaks. When getting the Flu Shot, the shot contains two strains of Influenza Type A and one strain of Influenza Type B to help your body build up it’s immune system to help fight it.
The unfortunate issue that scientist have ran into, is this years flu virus is stronger than what the Flu Shot is made to protect you from. When I was at the Hospital getting diagnosed with this flu, the staff informed me that the Flu Shot is only helping >17% of the population that got it this season. That is very discouraging for something that should be helping you prevent from catching this flu. The Flu Shot does help protect your body from many other flu viruses that are out there, but protection towards the H3N2 is >17%.
According to many sources, this H3N2 virus has affected every state in the USA except in Hawaii. Oregon is the only state to see a decline in the number of new cases.
To help yourself prevent this cold, health officials are suggesting to avoid close contact with anyone that you know is sick, if possible. Wash your hands many times a day. Keep hand sanitizer nearby at all times. Lots of liquids. Lots of sleep. Doing extra things like exercising and getting enough Vitamin C will help keep the immune system at its peak.
If you do catch this flu…
Isolate yourself. Don’t go to work. Don’t go to school. Stay in bed. Drink lot of liquids and get lots of sleep. Keep Tylenol nearby to help with the fevers. It usually will only last about seven days.
Stay healthy Everyone…
~robert1ee