Even healthy adults can suffer from influenza and its sequelae for a long period of time. Influenza vaccinations are particularly helpful to children under school age, pregnant people, people over 65, anyone who belongs to a high-risk group and their loved ones. Approximately 5–15% of the population has an influenza infection every winter.
- Common symptoms of influenza include sudden high fever without rhinitis, muscle pain, a cough that worsens over time, headache in the forehead and, in most cases, abdominal pain. If you have symptoms, you should stay at home.
- You should stay at home if you experience any symptoms. Usually, the most effective modes of home care are resting, drinking lots of liquids and taking painkillers to alleviate the symptoms. If no secondary diseases occur, the disease usually lasts for less than two weeks.
- People in high-risk groups should seek medical attention immediately when typical symptoms appear, because there are also drug treatments available that can shorten the duration of symptoms.
- Vaccination is the most effective mode of protection against influenza and preventing its transmission. Vaccinations can prevent up to 7–8 out of 10 influenza infections among those of working age in good basic health. As influenza viruses mutate every year, we recommend getting vaccinated against seasonal influenza every autumn.
Common symptoms of influenza include sudden high fever without rhinitis, muscle pain, a cough that worsens over time, headache in the forehead and, in most cases, abdominal pain. The onset of symptoms is fast and the patient feels ill. A really bad cough and other symptoms related to the respiratory tract only develop in the later stages of the disease.
- The presence of influenza virus can be reliably diagnosed with a quick analysis of a nasal cavity sample. In a best case scenario, it is possible for a doctor to determine the pathogen and the correct mode of treatment in just thirty minutes after obtaining the sample, says Kristina Hotakainen, Director of Laboratory Services at Mehiläinen.
Simple ways of preventing influenza infections:
- Wash your hands carefully when you go to the toilet, before you eat, after sneezing and after returning indoors.
- Avoid touching your face with your fingers because touching your face helps the viruses access the mucous membranes of the respiratory system.
- Direct your coughs away from other people and cough into a disposable tissue or your sleeve if you have been diagnosed with the disease.
- Avoid crowds and meeting strangers when you have symptoms, so you don't spread the disease.
Vaccination is the most effective mode of protection against influenza and preventing its transmission. Vaccinations can prevent up to 7–8 out of 10 influenza infections among those of working age in good basic health. As influenza viruses mutate every year, we recommend getting vaccinated against seasonal influenza every autumn.
It takes about two weeks to develop immunity. There are no live influenza viruses in the vaccine, so it is impossible to get an infection from the vaccine. Seasonal influenza vaccination only provides protection against influenza. The vaccination does not provide protection against rhinitis, common cold or other respiratory tract infections.
Even if you become infected, your symptoms will be less severe if you have been vaccinated. As usual, influenza vaccinations are recommended as part of the general vaccination programme for patients belonging to a high-risk group due to their health status and their loved ones. The treatment of the following primary diseases includes influenza vaccination: chronic heart, lung and kidney diseases and diabetes.
As influenza is not a common cold or rhinitis but rather caused by a viral infection, antibiotics are not effective against it. Healthy adults of working age usually experience a high fever during seasonal influenza, but this condition can be treated at home.
You should stay at home if you experience any symptoms. Usually, the most effective modes of home care are resting, drinking lots of liquids and taking painkillers to alleviate the symptoms. If no secondary diseases occur, the disease usually lasts for less than two weeks.
- If you belong to a high-risk group, you should seek medical attention if you experience any of the typical symptoms. If you are in good basic health, high fever and poor general condition are indications for seeking medical attention,” says paediatrician Jukka Vakkila from Mehiläinen. There are a few antiviral drugs available against the influenza virus that prevent the virus from replicating. Administering the medication right from the onset shortens the duration of the disease and prevents the onset of any sequelae, says Vakkila.
If you belong to a high-risk group, it is important to seek medical attention very soon after the onset of typical symptoms in order to diagnose the disease and start treatment.
Many people know the name influenza, but they often don’t know what makes the illness different from the common cold. However, influenza is a much more sudden and severe illness than the common cold. There are influenza epidemics every winter.
- Influenza is an infectious disease of the respiratory tract that involves a fever and is often severe.
- Influenza symptoms usually include a sudden fever, body aches, a cough and other respiratory symptoms. Influenza can also cause headaches and a general feeling of being unwell. Children may also have abdominal or bowel symptoms.
- Most people who get influenza will recover in less than two weeks.
- Complications from influenza include pneumonia, acute bronchitis, sinus infections as well as problems such as the worsening of asthma. Ear infections are the most common influenza complication in children.
Influenza is spread through respiratory droplets, such as when someone coughs or sneezes. You can also get infected through contact, such as by your hands. Influenza spreads easily in situations where there are a lot of people together in a small space, such as at day care centres and schools and on public transport.
Those who have influenza can infect others before actual symptoms appear. Infectiousness is at its highest 1–4 days after the onset of symptoms, and adults will be infectious for about one week. Children may be infectious for up to two weeks.
In addition to the influenza vaccine, hand washing and good hygiene when coughing or sneezing can also help prevent influenza.
- those aged over 65
- young children
- those who are pregnant
- those who belong to a high-risk group despite their age, such as people with a cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung disease, liver disease or kidney disease
- patients whose immune system has weakened due to an illness or its treatment
Generally, the seasonal flu epidemic is most active in Finland in January-February, but the flu can also occur from October to April. The flu season is different in different parts of the world. It is likely to get the flu in the southern hemisphere even during the summer months in Finland.
In addition, a traveler may be exposed to the flu virus even before reaching their actual destination, for example at the airport where there are many people. Good hand hygiene is always important for preventing both the flu and other infections.
The influenza vaccination should be taken in the fall before the influenza season begins. It takes about two weeks for the vaccine's protection to develop, during which time the protection is not yet complete.
The price of the influenza vaccine is € 53,00.
Influenza vaccine prevents 5-8 cases of illness out of ten among working-age individuals.
In addition to the influenza vaccine used in the national vaccination programme, people aged over 60 can also choose to have a high-dose influenza vaccine at Mehiläinen.
The price of the high-dose flu vaccine intended for people over 60 is € 87,50.
A nasal spray vaccine is available for 2-17 year olds.
The price of the nasal spray vaccine for 2-17-year-olds is € 70,00.
