Seasonal flu season has arrived - and surprising new poll results reveal that Canadians need to brush up on their 'flu facts.' It turns out Canadians have little knowledge of who is at risk, what symptoms to look for and how to manage the flu if they do get sick.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), populations most at risk for complications from seasonal flu include: people 65 years and older, pregnant women, and those with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. These at-risk groups need to take extra precautions during influenza season and have a written action plan on how to manage their disease so they know what to do if they do become ill. Curling up under the covers and suffering in the dark is no longer a sufficient approach to treating seasonal flu! Canadians at increased risk of contracting the flu may experience serious complications that could lead to hospitalization or even death.
According to new poll data from the Ontario Lung Association, 41 per cent of at-risk Canadians don't feel that seasonal influenza is serious, when in fact between 4,000 and 8,000 Canadians die from it each year. Over half of respondents - people over the age of 65, pregnant women, and people living with chronic illness - felt they were not at an increased risk of serious complications if they got the seasonal flu. This could not be further from the truth.
When it comes to managing the seasonal flu, quick action is key for these at-risk populations. Seeing your doctor as soon as symptoms appear is the best bet to getting the flu under control. Ironically, the majority of respondents (67 per cent) said they hold off seeing their doctor when they experience symptoms because they feel "it's not a big deal." And 70 per cent hold off seeing a doctor in part because they believe there are only over-the-counter remedies for their illness. In reality, physicians can recommend prescription medications to effectively treat the flu that could help prevent more serious complications.
Many at-risk Canadians are unable to correctly identify the top symptoms of the flu. Typical symptoms include: fever, headaches, malaise, loss of appetite as well as muscle aches and pains. The flu is not a cold. A cold is a mild infection of the upper respiratory passages caused by a variety of viruses. It may last for a week and symptoms include a runny nose, stuffy nose, cough and sore throat. A cold is caused by a rhinovirus, which is much different from an influenza virus. Symptoms such as headache, fever, muscle aches, and nausea do not usually accompany a cold.
Only 38 per cent of respondents were able to correctly identify rapid onset of symptoms as a key sign of the flu.
There are many steps Canadians can take to ensure they are healthy and strong as the cold weather sets in: learn to tell cold symptoms from the flu, get plenty of sleep and eat a well-balanced diet. If you do get sick and you're one of the at-risk candidates to develop serious complications, visit your doctor or healthcare provider
as soon as possible to get the flu under control.
To speak to a certified respiratory educator, please call The Lung Association's Helplines at 1-888-344-LUNG (5864) or email info@on.lung.ca.
