Scientists divide the influenza virus into three types--A, B and C. The first two types, A and B, account for the flu epidemics which occur each winter in the United States. Unlike type B, type A undergoes abrupt, major changes through a process known as "antigenic shift," which makes it more difficult to anticipate and treat. The 2009 H1N1 or "swine flu" virus and H3N2 viruses known as "bird flu" exemplify the seriousness of influenza A infections, but there are a few ways you can fight the type A flu virus.
Get an Annual Flu Vaccination
Step 1
Contact your local public health department or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for information about the availability of the flu vaccine in your area. The Food and Drug Administration starts to release the vaccine in October of each year. The vaccine provides protection against two strains of influenza A. The exact strains change from year to year.
Step 2
Schedule an appointment with a provider who has received the vaccine. Your personal physician may or may not have the vaccine, so you may need to see someone else. Ask about costs. Public health clinics may offer free or scaled-fee vaccinations. Private providers--especially a provider that is outside your health-care network--may require you to pay out of pocket.
Step 3
Attend the appointment or the clinic date. Arrive early--especially if you're attending a public health clinic where lines can be long--and come prepared with your insurance information and a method of payment, if applicable.
Practice Good Health Habits
Step 1
Steer clear of sick people and heed advisories from your local health department. If your job or home situation renders this impossible, consider wearing a surgical mask or N95 respiratory mask. According to a 2009 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, although the N95 mask was more effective, both ultimately reduced the incidence of influenza among health-care workers.
Step 2
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. If you must do so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises washing your hands first. Always wash hands before you eat. If water and soap are not available, choose an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Step 3
Consider cleaning high-traffic areas in your home or workplace with sanitizer wipes or a sanitizer solution and paper towels. Places to clean include door handles, telephone handsets and other places that you handle with your hands or place close to your mouth. Never reuse linens or eating utensils without cleaning them first.
Take Antiviral Drugs
Step 1
Contact your physician and request antiviral drugs when you suspect you have been exposed to the influenza virus or when you develop symptoms. Establish a relationship with a physician before the onset of flu season, because a physician may be willing to prescribe antiviral drugs over the phone to an established patient. If you do not have a physician, contact your local public health department for a list of free clinics or, if your means allow, identify an urgent care center in your area.
Step 2
Schedule an appointment, if necessary. Remind the attendant that you require an urgent appointment. Flu antiviral drugs are most effective when taken before symptoms appear or up to 48 hours after onset.
Step 3
Attend the appointment, if necessary. Bring your health insurance information--if applicable, identification, a method of payment and a list of your current medications, including the dose. If it's hard for you to make a list, bring the medications in a plastic bag. Be prepared to answer questions about your health history and undergo a brief physical exam.
Step 4
Fill the prescription, if indicated, at a pharmacy. Antiviral drugs that combat influenza A include oseltamivir, zanamivir, amantidine and rimantidine. While the first two treat and prevent both influenza A and B, the latter two treat only influenza A. However, as of 2008 they have fallen out of favor because, as Dr. Raphael Dolin explains in "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," 90 percent of influenza A strains have proven resistant to them. They will likely return to routine use if effectiveness is re-established.
Step 5
Take the medication as directed, for as long as directed. Both drugs are dispensed as once-daily dosing in asymptomatic patients and twice-daily dosing in symptomatic patients. Many patients are tempted to discontinue their medication when symptoms resolve, but doing so helps promote resistance and decreases the chance that the drug will be effective next time you need it. Always complete the entire course of anti-infective agents.
Tips and Warnings
- Always cough or sneeze into a tissue and discard the tissue when you are done. While this doesn't directly reduce an individual's risk of influenza A, modeling good health habits encourages others to do the same.
Things You'll Need
- Phone
- Computer with Internet access or phone book
- Phone book or personal address book
- Health insurance card
- Method of payment
- Access to transportation
- Drivers license or other identification
- Soap
- Water
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (optional)
- Tissues
- Sanitizing wipes or sanitizer solution
- N95 respirator or surgical masks (optional)
- Paper and pen or plastic bag
References
- CDC: The Influenza (Flu) Viruses
- CDC: CDC Says "Take Three" Actions to Fight the Flu
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Surgical Mask vs. N95 Respirator for Preventing Influenza Among Health Care Workers: A Randomized Trial; Loeb et al.; 2009
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," 17th Ed.; A.S. Fauci et al. (eds.); 2008
- Medline Plus: Oseltamivir
