By Joseph Robben
It’s that time of year again when the flu bug is out and about trying to make your life miserable. The flu can be very dangerous if you don’t take good care of yourself. The flu is something that you should take seriously because it can be deadly. Last year the flu was as bad as it ever was. Last year was the first season to be classified as a high severity across all age groups. A total of 183 pediatric deaths was caused by influenza last year. The flu season is normally from November to March, but you can get it whenever. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. The symptoms of the flu are fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting. Flu viruses spread mainly by tiny droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. A person also might get the flu by touching a surface or an object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or their eyes. People with flu are most contagious in the first 3-4 days after their illness begins. The first and most important step in preventing the flu is to get a flu vaccine each year. Staying away from people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and frequent handwashing are good ways to prevent yourself from getting the flu. There are influenza antiviral drugs that can be used to treat the illness. Other ways to treat the flu are to drink plenty of fluids and get a ton of rest. So, make sure that you get the flu shot and watch what you do so you stay clean. If you happen to get the flu, make sure you are not around others and take care of yourself.