English Express special issue

Influenza (the flu)

Keep this issue
—What can you do? so you can use it
in the future.

Symptoms for adults

What is influenza (the flu)?
How do people feel when
Every year, many people get they have the flu? Most adults
sick with the flu. In Canada, have these symptoms.
people usually get the flu between
November and April. a fever
A virus causes the flu. There
are different types of flu viruses. ✔ The fever is
For example: Type A and Type B. often 38ºC (100.4ºF)
These viruses are always changing. or higher.
They are too small to see. ✔ It starts suddenly.
Note: We use the word flu ✔ It usually goes
George is sick. He has the flu. down in 3 to 5 days.
in this issue.

a dry cough

How does the flu spread? ✔ The cough can last

for a few weeks.
The flu spreads in different ☞ Later, Geetha touches the
ways. For example: doorknob. The virus gets on her
hand. The virus gets into her
☞ George has the flu. The flu body when she touches her nose.
virus goes into the air when an aching body
A few days later, Geetha gets
he coughs, sneezes or talks. sick with the flu. ✔ People have
If people are nearby, the virus can aches and pains.
enter their eyes, nose and mouth. For example:
in their head, legs
and lower back.

very weak and tired

✔ People feel
too weak to do
anything.
☞ George coughs into his hand.
Then he touches a doorknob. Now ✔ They don’t want
the flu virus is on the doorknob. to get out of bed.
☞ Geetha passes the flu virus to
her daughter Sneha. Soon Sneha Other symptoms
gets the flu. She can spread Sometimes adults have other
the virus to her classmates symptoms too. For example:
if she goes to school with the flu.
■ the chills
(You feel cold.)
■ a sore throat
■ a runny nose
■ no appetite
(You don’t feel like eating.)

Are you contagious?

The flu can be serious
When can you pass the flu
The flu is more serious for to other people?
The flu can be some groups of people: ■ from one day before you
dangerous for
■ children under 2 years old have symptoms
some people.
People die from ■ seniors until
it every year. ■ people with serious health ■ 5 days after your
problems symptoms begin
Influenza (the flu)—What can you do? • English Express • A
 How to protect yourself and others from the flu
1 Get a flu shot 2 Wash your hands How to wash your hands
A flu shot helps protect The flu virus can live on your
people from the flu. The best hands for 5 minutes. It can live ➊ Wet your hands
time to get a flu shot is from on doorknobs for 1 to 2 days! with warm, running
October to mid-November. Help protect yourself and other water.
people by washing your hands

Edmonton Journal
often. Teach young children to
wash their hands too. ➋ Rub on regular
soap. Lather well.
When to wash your hands
☞ before you eat or serve food
☞ before you brush your teeth ➌ Rub your hands
together for about 15
☞ after you are near a person
It takes about 2 weeks for seconds. Rub all parts
with the flu
the flu shot to protect you. of your hands and
☞ after you cough, sneeze wrists.
or blow your nose
Who should get flu shots?
What to use ➍ Rinse well
under warm,
☞ Use regular hand
running water.
soap and water.
or
☞ Use hand cleanser ➎ Dry your hands
These people should get or sanitizer that has with a clean towel.
a flu shot every year: alcohol in it.
➊ adults and children with
serious health problems,
and the people who live
with them 3 Cover your cough 4 Stay well
➋ seniors (people 65 or over) ✔ Cover your mouth ✔ Exercise! It helps your body
➌ health care workers and nose with a tissue fight flu viruses. Try to walk
➍ children 6 months to when you cough or for 30 minutes most days.
23 months and their families sneeze. Throw the ✔ Drink plenty of water.
tissue in the garbage.
The flu shot is free in Alberta
✔ Try not to smoke.
for these 4 groups.
Can other people get a flu ✔ Eat 5 to 10 servings
shot? Yes. But they might have of fruit and vegetables
✔ Cough into your
to pay a small fee. every day.
sleeve if you don’t
have a tissue. Don’t ✔ Older adults can
Where to get flu shots cough into your hand. take a multivitamin.
☞ at public health centres —
Call to make an appointment.
Also watch for flu clinics
in the fall. 5 Other things to do 6 Plan ahead
☞ at many doctors’ offices — ✔ Stay away from crowds ✔ Be prepared. What will you
Call to make an appointment. when flu season hits your area. need if you or someone in your
☞ at some workplaces and family gets the flu?
pharmacies ✔ If someone in your home gets
the flu, protect other family ☞ a thermometer
You can get information members.
about flu shots from Health Link ☞ medicine for a fever,
Alberta. See page D. ☞ Keep the sick person’s throat lozenges
personal things away from other
people. Clean areas around ☞ tissues
Did you know? the sick person often. You can
✔ The flu shot does not give use dish soap and water. ✔ Check the expiry dates
people the flu. on your medicine. Don’t use
medicine after its expiry date.
✔ Some people have reactions
to the flu shot. For example, Exp AU 09
their arm gets sore. ☞ Have family members stay ✔ Do you take care of another
✔ The flu shot does not protect at least 1 metre (3 feet) away person? Who can take care of
people from colds. from the sick person. that person if you get the flu?
B • English Express • Influenza (the flu)—What can you do?
 What to do when adults get the flu
Take care of yourself if you have the flu
What can you do when you
have the flu?
✔ Rest and get
lots of sleep.
✔ Try to stay away from other
people for 5 days after you get
your first symptom.
✔ Drink extra water,
tea and juice. Chicken
soup can help too.
✔ Use a humidifier.
It puts water in the air.
Clean the humidifier
every day.
Over-the-counter medicine can help
Over-the-counter medicine
can help you feel better if you
have the flu. You don’t need
a prescription.
Try to use medicine that treats
only one symptom at a time.
For example:
For fever and
body aches
☞ Use acetaminophen.
Look for Tylenol®
or another brand.
or
☞ Use ibuprofen.
Look for Advil®,
Motrin® or another
brand.
For a dry cough
☞ Sometimes a cough can
keep you awake at night.
Try cough syrup with
dextromethorphan (DM).
When to go to the doctor
✔ See a doctor or go to an
emergency centre right away
if you have a serious symptom.
For example:
■ problems breathing
■ pain in your chest
■ a high fever that does not
get better after 3 or 4 days
✔ Gargle with warm salt
water if you have a sore
throat. Mix ¹⁄₂ tsp. (2 mL)
salt with 1 cup (250 mL)
warm water.
Take a sip. Gargle for
10 seconds. Then spit out
the water. Repeat 4 or 5
times per day.
✔ For a stuffy nose, use
salt-water nose drops or
mist. For example: Salinex®.
✔ You can also make nose drops.
Mix ¹⁄₂ tsp. (2 mL) salt with 1 cup
(250 mL) boiled water. Cool. Keep
in a clean container. Use drops
about 3 times per day.
Note: Nasal means nose.
For a sore throat
☞ Use throat lozenges.
They help numb the throat.
Look for lozenges with dyclonine.
For example: Sucrets®.
Caution!
☞ Follow the instructions for
medicine carefully.
☞ If you have questions, talk
to a pharmacist or call Health
Link Alberta. Tell them all the
medicine you are taking.
For example:
■ over-the-counter medicine
■ prescriptions
■ traditional medicine (herbs)
Ask about side effects.
For example, a medicine
might irritate your stomach.
☞ Keep all medicine
away from children.
✔ Some people should
always see their doctor
if they get the flu.
For example: a person
with heart or lung disease.
✔ If you do not know what to do,
talk to a nurse at Health Link
Alberta.
Influenza (the flu)—What can you do? • English Express • C
Children and the flu
It can be scary for parents
when a child gets the flu. Phone
Health Link Alberta for help and
information. See page D.
Flu symptoms
✔ Children between 6 and 18
years old often have the same
flu symptoms as adults.
✔ Babies and children under 6
can have different symptoms.
For example:
☞ A baby might cry
a lot and have a fever.
☞ A young child might feel
nauseous (feel like he will
vomit). He might vomit and
have diarrhea.
What to do for a fever
☞ First, take your child’s
temperature. If your child has
a fever, use acetaminophen.
For example: Tylenol® for
babies (infants) and children.
☞ Put lightweight clothing
on your child. Keep the child’s
room at about 20ºC.
☞ Give water or juice
to your child often.
Breastfeed babies often.
Caution: Never give
acetylsalicylic acid
(ASA or Aspirin® ) to children
or teenagers who might have
the flu or who have a fever.
When to see a doctor
✔ Some children should see
a doctor when they have the flu.
For example:
■ a baby less than 3 months old
■ a child with heart problems
✔ Go to an emergency centre
if your child has a serious
symptom. For example:
■ Your child has trouble
breathing (not a stuffy nose).
■ You can’t wake up your child.
 What is an influenza (flu) pandemic?
The flu viruses change every
year. They usually change in small
ways. The flu shot changes every
year to fight new viruses.
Big changes in the virus
Sometimes a flu virus changes
in a big way. This happens 3 or 4
times every 100 years.
A new flu spreads easily. More
people get this flu. And they get
sicker.
When this new flu spreads
to many countries, it is called
a flu pandemic.
There is no flu pandemic right
now. But many experts think
there will be one in the next 5
to 10 years. Canada and other
countries are preparing for the
next pandemic.
What to do if there is a pandemic
✔ Follow the tips in this issue.
Keep it to use in the future.
✔ Call Health Link Alberta
for information.
Health Link Alberta
Health Link Alberta is
a free service. You can phone
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You can get health information
and advice.
Talk to a nurse
Registered nurses (RNs)
answer the phones. You can
ask questions about the flu.
For example:
☞ You can describe symptoms.
Then ask what to do.
My baby has
a high fever.
Help in other languages
Health Link Alberta has
interpreters. They speak different
languages. An interpreter can be
on the phone with you and the
nurse.
☞ Call Health Link Alberta. Say:
“I speak _________.
I need an interpreter.”
D • English Express • Influenza (the flu)—What can you do?
Bird flu in the news
20 million people died There are many news stories
There was a flu pandemic about bird flu. Bird flu can make
in 1918 and 1919. It was called some birds sick. For example:
the Spanish flu. More than chickens, ducks and turkeys.
20 million people died around
✔ Bird flu rarely affects people.
the world. About 30,000 to
Recently, people in a few
50,000 Canadians died.
countries got bird flu from sick
birds. These people got very
sick. Some died.
These women lived in Alberta
✔ Right now, bird flu does not
during the 1918 flu pandemic.
pass from person to person.
✔ Countries and organizations
around the world are working to
✔ Watch for information from fight bird flu. They don’t want it
the Alberta government in to spread to other places.
newspapers, on TV and radio.
Note: One day, the bird flu
might pass from person to
person. If it spreads easily,
Photo: Glenbow Archives (NA-3452-2) it might cause a pandemic.
Capital Health
The flu is different from
How old is a cold and the stomach flu
your baby? Some cold symptoms:
■ A cold starts slowly.
■ You have a sore
throat.
■ You have a runny
nose.
Call Health Link Alberta Some stomach flu symptoms:
In Calgary, 943-5465 ■ You feel nauseous.
(You feel like you
In Edmonton, 408-5465
will vomit.)
Outside Edmonton and Calgary,
■ You vomit
1-866-408-5465 (free)
(throw up).
✔ Sometimes you have to wait ■ You have diarrhea.
a few minutes to talk to the
nurse. Sometimes you have
to leave a message, and the English Express is for adults who are improving
nurse calls you back. their English reading skills.
Influenza (the flu)—What can you do? is a
✔ Your call is confidential. special issue of English Express. This issue is
published by Alberta Health and Wellness in
This means the nurse will not partnership with Alberta Advanced Education.
tell anyone what you say. Line art: Nola Johnston • Colour art: Guy Parsons
Special thanks to all the people who helped with
the development of this special issue on the flu.
Important note: March 2006
ISSN0825-5466
✔ Health Link Alberta does
not replace your family doctor.
Note: Educational programs for adults, libraries
✔ Call 9-1-1 if you have and agencies can receive free copies of the regular
a medical emergency. Or go to issues of English Express.
the nearest emergency centre. E-mail: subscriptions@englishexpress.ca
Phone: In Edmonton, 440-3722
Outside Edmonton, 1-877- 440-3722 (free)