There is no one who has not had a cold. The flu is one of the most common acute conditions in summer and easily strikes a whole family all at once. However, not many people can give an answer to the question, “How do I control infection and easily identify the flu?”

Influenza or the flu is a respiratory infection caused by a variety of flu viruses. It is contained in the millions of tiny germs that cannot be seen well through a microscope. Due to the fact that a cold is infectious, in times past people suspected that some microorganisms came in from outside the body and caused disease. But cold viruses are small and it was only 50 years ago that its nature was revealed by a precise microscope.

The types of virus that cause a cold are numerous and we do not know how many types there are. So, even though you catch a cold, if another virus comes into your body, you can catch a cold again. And, as new types of viruses appear every year, it is impossible to make a vaccination that is resistant to all types of virus.

Flu outbreaks usually begin suddenly and occur mainly in the late fall and winter. The disease spreads through communities. You can get the flu if someone around you who has the flu coughs or sneezes. You can get the flu simply by touching a surface that has been contaminated by the touch of someone who has the flu. The viruses can pass through the air and can enter your body through your nose or mouth. If you’ve touched a contaminated surface, it can pass through your hands.

Misunderstandings about flu

In cold winter, people often catch a cold, and they think that when their bodies become cold, they will catch a cold. But actually coldness does not cause a cold. The reason why there are many patients who catch a cold is because the metabolism and immunity of our body decrease due to coldness and the invasion of viruses is easier. If your condition is bad, you can be infected at any time of the year.

During flu season, be careful with hand-to-nose contact.

The purpose of the treatment of a cold is to alleviate the symptoms and reduce the patients’ suffering, and there is no proof that treatments shorten the period of sickness. Therefore, patients should increase their body’s resistance by getting enough rest for several days.

Above all, the most effective treatment and prevention of the flu is first to avoid contact with flu patients. When you get back from going out, wash your hands and face and brush your teeth well. 

By Choi Dong-chull

The author is a doctor at the Department of Allergy at Samsung Medical Center and a professor of Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine. ― Ed.