Hospitals around B.C. are struggling with the annual influx of influenza sufferers, many of whom are making matters worse for everyone by crowding into emergency waiting rooms.
In this 乌鸦传媒渋nformation age,乌鸦传媒� there are so many misconceptions around seasonal influenza that it乌鸦传媒檚 hard to know where to start. First, in most cases there is no cure or prescribed treatment that can be offered at hospitals or clinics.
Frail elderly people, and those with chronic conditions or secondary infections may need medical support. The rest of us should learn to prevent contact, treat ourselves and avoid spreading these fast-mutating viruses around.
Many people still don乌鸦传媒檛 understand what 乌鸦传媒渢he flu乌鸦传媒� is. No, it乌鸦传媒檚 not generally associated with throwing up, contrary to every statement by every hockey coach who has ever spoken on TV. (Professional athletes and coaches have medical doctors on staff, but apparently they never listen to them.)
Influenza is a with chest and nasal congestion, which can last for weeks. Young children may vomit, often because they can乌鸦传媒檛 control their coughing.
I won乌鸦传媒檛 go into all the nonsense people hear about the flu vaccine. Suffice it to say it is the best current effort of modern medicine. This year乌鸦传媒檚 vaccine targets the A/California, A/Hong Kong, B/Brisbane and B/Phuket strains, which emerged globally last year as the vaccine formula was finalized. It乌鸦传媒檚 not perfect, but little in science is.
乌鸦传媒淔lu shot didn乌鸦传媒檛 work. My kids are throwing up,乌鸦传媒� is a classic comment from a parent who really should do some studying. A good place to start would be a call to the B.C. Nurseline, 8-1-1, for reliable non-emergency health advice, available around the clock.
The kids more likely have what is erroneously called 乌鸦传媒渟tomach flu,乌鸦传媒� or to be accurate, norovirus. This is another contagious winter malady, featuring diarrhea as well as vomiting. No, there乌鸦传媒檚 no cure for that waiting at the ER either. It乌鸦传媒檚 particularly dangerous in hospitals and care homes, where quarantine and intensive cleaning are the main responses.
Taking virus-infected people to hospitals or clinics unnecessarily has the added impact of exposing medical personnel, who are already overworked at this time of year.
Our website editions carried a story last week about a , where doctors posted a letter on the door calling on employers to get a clue too.
乌鸦传媒淧eople seeking sick notes 乌鸦传媒� who otherwise wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 see a doctor 乌鸦传媒� end up in physicians乌鸦传媒� offices, walk-in clinics and emergency department waiting rooms,乌鸦传媒� it said. 乌鸦传媒淭here, they may spread germs to pregnant women, frail elderly people, cancer patients and babies 乌鸦传媒� all of whom are vulnerable to communicable diseases.乌鸦传媒�
They warn that 乌鸦传媒渟ick note乌鸦传媒� visits are not covered by B.C.乌鸦传媒檚 Medical Services Plan. If local employers continue to demand sick notes, the clinic will invoice them $50 per visit, which is 乌鸦传媒渟tandard practice for non-medically necessary services for third-party organizations.乌鸦传媒�
The doctors offer some advice that may sound familiar:
乌鸦传媒淚n most cases, the best remedy for a patient with an isolated illness (such as a gastrointestinal virus, influenza or a common cold) is to stay home, rest and drink fluids.乌鸦传媒�
Remember the common cold? It乌鸦传媒檚 technically called rhinovirus, and it also changes as it spreads through the population as a generally milder version of influenza.
People don乌鸦传媒檛 talk much about getting colds any more. Now everything tends to be called the flu.
One last point: the contagious period for influenza begins when you catch it, a couple of days before you know you乌鸦传媒檙e sick, and extends for about five days after symptoms emerge.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc
