Influenza is a contagious flu affecting the respiratory system caused by the influenza virus. This illness affects the health of the nose, throat, and even the lungs. While some of the symptoms are mild, there are cases of severe symptoms as well, which can lead to death. To avoid complications, health professionals advise getting a flu vaccine every year. Read on to know more about influenza’s risk factors and prevention.

Symptoms
The flu usually onsets by a common cold with symptoms like sore throat, sneezing, or a runny nose. However, influenza symptoms feel much worse than a regular cold. One may experience fever, muscle aches, headaches, chills and sweats, stuffy nose, tiredness or weakness, persistent dry cough, eye pain, and shortness of breath. Children experience symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.

While some of these symptoms may seem mild and do not need any immediate medical attention, you should get medical attention for serious symptoms like seizures, chest pains, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, muscle pain, extreme weakness, and worsening of existing medical conditions.

In children, severe symptoms look like blue lips, dehydration, seizures, severe muscle pain, difficulty in breathing, extreme chest pains, and worsening of any pre-existing medical conditions warrant immediate diagnosis and treatment.

Risk factors

• Weak immune system: A compromised immune system is a hotbed of illnesses, so make sure you are careful if you have pre-existing conditions. If you have undergone cancer treatments, organ transplants, long-term steroid usage, HIV/AIDS, or survived blood cancer, then you have a compromised immune system that cannot battle any new viruses.
• Chronic illnesses: Those dealing with diseases like asthma, nervous system disorders, heart diseases, diabetes, metabolic disorders, blood disease, kidney issues, and airway abnormality have a higher risk of contracting this virus and increasing the complications of the disease.
• Living or working conditions: Facilities like nursing homes or military barracks are a hotbed for such viruses, so anyone living or working in these places is at a higher risk of contracting the virus.
• Age: Seasonal influenza affects children aged six months to 5 years old. In adults, it targets those who are 65 years old or older.
• Race: Research has shown that Native Americans are more likely to contract the virus than other members of the population.
• Obesity: Those with a higher BMI of 40 are more vulnerable to influenza.
• Pregnancy: Those in the second and third trimesters are at high risk of developing complications from this disease. Also, new mothers are at high risk up to two weeks after delivery.

Prevention and control
It is recommended that everyone from the age of 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination to avoid contraction and any serious complications from the disease. With coronavirus already widespread, it is possible to mix the symptoms of these two illnesses easily, delaying the right treatment for the patient.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the influenza vaccine is available as an injection as well as a nasal spray. However, nasal sprays are not recommended to a certain section of the population like children under the age of 2, adults who are 50 or older, pregnant women, those with a compromised immune system, children between the age of 2 and 17 who are taking any salicylate based medicines, and kids between the ages 2 and 4 who have experienced wheezing or other asthma symptoms in the past 12 months.

Apart from vaccination, other ways to control the spread of the disease include basic hygiene etiquettes. Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds should be a norm to avoid any transmission of infections. Using sanitizers regularly is also advised. Avoid touching the nose, eyes, or mouth frequently as this virus affects the respiratory system. If you are coughing or sneezing, make sure to cover your mouth with a tissue and wash your hands regularly. You must also ensure that you are not going into crowded spaces places like public transportation, office buildings, schools, child care centers, where the risk of spreading the infection is higher during the flu season.

As you will notice, most of the symptoms and prevention care are similar to COVID-19, and thus some may misdiagnose the illness. That is why it is important to get vaccinated and immediately consult a doctor when symptoms get worse. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it is advised to get your vaccination for the flu at the earliest and be regular every year.