Flu comes on abruptly, with fever, headache, muscle aches, sore throat and cough. Unlike other common respiratory illnesses, it can be severely debilitating for several days, leaving you unable to work or carry on with normal life. Because it's caused by a virus, general antibiotics can't shorten it — but certain antivirals can help prevent or treat it. Flu symptoms can also be confused with COVID-19, which is another reason to be protected.
Children under 5 (especially under 2), pregnant women, people over 65, and people with chronic medical conditions or weakened immune systems are at particular risk of severe illness or complications. We urge everyone, especially these high-risk groups, to get the flu vaccine every year.
Prevention
Flu spreads through droplets when someone with flu coughs, sneezes or talks, and through contact with contaminated surfaces. If you have the flu:
- Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
- Wash your hands often.
- Stay away from school or work.
The flu vaccine
The vaccine contains parts of four influenza strains that circulated the previous season. It has very few side effects, and a single injection protects adults for about one year. Antibodies reach full protective levels within two weeks.
Who should get it?
We recommend it for everyone — particularly trekkers, who are exposed to crowded conditions in lodges along trekking routes. Anyone over 6 months of age without a contraindication should get it.
- Children: safe and effective from 6 months of age. Previously unimmunized children aged 6 months to 8 years need two injections a month apart for full protection.
- Pregnancy: safe at any stage. It protects the mother and reduces the risk of flu in the baby, since babies under 6 months can't be vaccinated.
Who should not get it?
Anyone who had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose. Egg allergy is no longer a contraindication — but if you have a history of severe egg allergy, discuss it with your nurse or doctor; you can still be vaccinated with special precautions.