People with flu should rest for as long as they have symptoms of fever and feel generally ill. A cough sometimes continues for some time after other symptoms have gone. The symptoms should be treated accordingly.

This can be done with remedies regularly found in pharmacies. GPs will not prescribe antibiotics (unless further complications develop) because they have no effect on viruses. In severe cases, complications of the virus (bronchitis and pneumonia) will also need to be treated.

Anti-viral drugs
Anti-viral drugs are available to treat patients most at risk of serious illness. They reduce the severity of symptoms and prevent the virus from multiplying throughout the body. For these drugs to be effective, they must be given to patients within 48 hours of showing symptoms. Although symptoms of flu are reduced on this treatment, it does not stop infectious people passing on the virus. Stockpiles of anti-viral drugs are being built up in the event of a pandemic; however, flu viruses may become resistant to these drugs over time.

• Amantadine is an anti-viral drug that was used to treat Influenza A, however, it is no longer recommended because of its side effects and because influenza A easily develops resistance to amantadine.

• Neuraminidase inhibitors (Zanamivir and Oseltamivir) are a new class of anti-virals that are used to treat Influenza A and B. They are thought to reduce the duration of uncomplicated flu by a day, have fewer side effects than amantadine and the virus is less likely to develop resistance. However, these drugs are not widely used because they are expensive and not available in many countries.

Immunisation
To avoid catching flu, doctors recommend a yearly influenza vaccine instead of avoiding the cold weather.

Flu jabs are usually given in autumn before the virus starts circulating.  Vaccines change from year to year as they are prepared from viruses that are most likely to cause flu during the following season. It is necessary to get a flu jab every year to have protection against new emerging strains of the virus.

The vaccine does not contain any live virus so it will not cause flu but will stimulate the body’s defences to protect against the virus present in the vaccine. The body starts making antibodies to the vaccine virus about a week after the injection is given. Minor side effects of the vaccine include fever, shivering, sweating, tiredness and headaches but these should be mild and go away within a few days. If symptoms are severe, or do not settle, contact a doctor for advice. Even low cost precautions such as hand-washing, covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and getting rid of dirty tissues can help reduce the spread of the virus.

Influenza viruses alter their characteristics (mutate) to help them survive. This makes it very difficult for our bodies to fight infection. Vaccines against the virus can only be made once new strains emerge. Researchers continue to find faster ways of developing vaccines in case a new flu strain appears.