HEALTH
Beat
the
Bug
It’s the season of feasting
and having fun with the
family, so make sure the
flu bug doesn’t keep you
or your children down with
these Family & Life tips.
By Nasri Shah
When was the last time your holiday
to-do list began with “A Vacation to
Machu Picchu” instead of “Cleaning
Snot in the Playroom”? Save yourself
a repeat of last year’s vacation
(yes, the one where you exchanged
homeopathic flu remedies with a fellow
parent) and keep these handy tips in
mind to counter the flu season for a
worry- (and phlegm) free year-end
celebration.
Good Habits for Staying Flu-Free
• Influenza is spread through three ways
1. By direct transmission from an infected person via the eyes,
mouth or nose
2. Airborne
3. Through contact between the hands, eyes, mouth or nose.
• Practise good hygiene
Because of the way the virus is spread, practising good hygiene
such as washing your child’s (and your own) hands regularly
with soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizers will greatly minimise
exposure to the virus.
The flu often displays
• Stay healthy
symptoms similar to the
A good immune system is your body’s defence against the virus,
According to the Health
common cold such as
so a balanced diet, a healthy intake of vitamins, a good dose of
Promotion Board, the flu season
fever, a runny nose, sore
exercise and a substantial amount of rest will help keep your body
in Singapore typically falls between
throat, muscle pains and
in tip-top condition.
May and July, and December and
fatigue. Both, however,
• Put that alcohol to good use
February, which coincide with
are caused by different
The virus survives for as long as two days on non-porous surfaces
the school holidays and festive
viruses, with the flu
such as children’s toys and doorknobs so clean the house regularly
season. We suppose the crowds
causing more severe and
with sanitizers like bleach or alcohol.
and close proximity to other
longer-lasting symptoms,
• When heading out
people play a part!
with the risk of developing into
Keep a wet wipe with you when going out with your children to clean
complications such as pneumonia.
their hands so they don’t unknowingly introduce the virus into their
drooling mouths.
Derived from the Italian term for
• Invest in a flu vaccination
“influence”, the influenza virus was
Studies done at the University of New South Wales suggests that
named to reflect the way the disease
the vaccination, which lasts for a few years, is one of the most
infected others aerially and through
cost-effective preventive treatments for the family and the people
human contact.
around you.
• Keep away from children’s parties!
Children are unfortunately the most vulnerable
Myths about the Flu
victims and most resilient carriers of the disease.
• A face mask is all I need
While adults are typically most infectious for a period
Whilst surgical masks reduce transmission of the virus when caring for, or in contact with,
of five days starting from before they exhibit any
the sick, a study by the World Health Organisation in 2006 suggests that such masks are
symptoms, children continue to be infectious even up
inadequate in countering the virus independently, particularly in public and open spaces. In
to two weeks after recovering from their symptoms.
other words, a face mask should always be supplemented by the good habits we’ve listed!
• And if you have to go that party…
• The use of antibiotics
Keep informed about each other’s health by staying
Antibiotics and analgesics do not treat the flu infection as it is viral and not bacterial. These
in contact with other parents, colleagues and friends
medications may, however, be used to treat or relieve select symptoms or secondary
in the event that any of them contract the virus.
infections, such as bacterial pneumonia. So once again, check with your family physician on the
appropriate medications.
• Getting vaccinated during pregnancy
Treating the Virus
Getting a flu jab will not have any effects on your pregnancy. On the contrary, a flu jab will help
• Stay home. You are not doing anyone any favours by
keep you and your baby vaccinated even after his or her birth and the first months following
going to work with the flu or having your children
that. In fact, pregnant women are advised to get a flu vaccination as getting the disease during
attend school when they have it. Resting at home
pregnancy can, according to Dr Christopher Ng, increase the risks of preterm labour, low birth
reduces transmission of the virus to others, whilst
weight babies and, in severe cases, even miscarriage.
giving your body ample time to recover.
• Keep hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids to support your
“Vaccinations play a major role in reducing the risk of pregnant women getting the flu, as
body’s recovery, and avoid consuming alcohol or
pregnancy is an immune-compromised state. However, pregnant women should be vaccinated
using tobacco.
using an inactivated vaccine instead of a live attenuated vaccine.”
• Get treated! Antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu and
Dr Anita S. Kale, Consultant, NUH Women’s Centre
Relenza are commonly prescribed medication to
treat the flu by reducing the length of time that
“The antibodies in maternal vaccinations from mothers can pass through the breast milk to give
you are ill. On average, Tamiflu reduces the
some protection to the baby until the baby completes the vaccination programme too.”
duration of flu symptoms by one and a half
Dr Christopher Ng, GynaeMD Women’s & Rejuvenation Clinic
days if treatment is started within 48
hours of the start of the symptoms.
Did you
know?
24
Family & Life • Dec 2013/Jan 2014