Just as often as the seasons change, the flu pops up as a frequent unwelcome guest. ‘Flu’ is a respiratory disease that results in around 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness each year2.
With the ease at which the virus spreads through2 sneezing, coughing, and even talking, the risk of contracting or spreading the flu is heightened in crowded spaces. This is why it’s extra important to practice caution when out or catching your local football game this summer.
Getting vaccinated helps you not only protect yourself but also protects those around you in your community, or in the football crowd, who may be at-risk individuals or people who are unable to be vaccinated themselves7.
What are the symptoms of flu you should be aware of2:
· Fever
· Headaches
· Fatigue
· Sore throat
· Dry cough
· Severe body aches
· Congestion
These symptoms can lead to more severe outcomes in at-risk groups2-5, namely:
· Children2,3
· People with HIV / Aids2-4
· People with diabetes2-4
· People ≥ 65 years of age2-4
· Pregnant women2-4
· People infected with tuberculosis4,5
· People with asthma, heart disease, and stroke2-4
While the symptoms listed above are typically present when an individual contracts the flu, you can still be contagious and at risk of spreading the virus even if you don’t present symptoms but have been in contact with someone who had the flu6. This is because the virus incubates6 in your system for a while before it even shows symptoms – should you experience symptoms.
The typical incubation period6 for the flu is 1-4 days with an average of 2 days – however, this time period can be lengthened in children and adults with severe disease – making them infectious for up to 10 days after illness onset6.
To ensure you don’t strike out or get shown the red card this football season – your best defence would be consulting your healthcare provider about getting the flu vaccine1. With the flu strain constantly evolving seasonally7 – staying up to date with your flu vaccine will help shield you7 against the new flu lineups that comes each year.
Be a team player this summer and don’t let the flu strike a goal. Consult your healthcare provider about where you can receive the latest flu vaccine1 to help you and your fellow football supporters make the most out of the season and score a flu-free footie experience.
This post was sponsored by Sanofi and produced by Adspace Studio.
References:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu Vaccines Work. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/index.html. Accessed November 2023.
2. World Health Organization (WHO). Influenza (seasonal). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal). Accessed November 2023.
3. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Influenza (Flu). People at Higher Risk for Flu Complications. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/index.htm. Accessed November 2023.
4. National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). Influenza NICD recommendations for the diagnosis, management, prevention and public health response. https://www.nicd.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Influenza-guidelines_-April-2021-final.pdf Accessed November 2023.
5. Umbreen G, Rehman A, et al. 1 Burden of influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 infection among tuberculosis patients: a prospective cohort study. BMC Infectious Diseases (2023) 23:526.
6. Kunisaki KM, Janoff EN. Influenza in immunosuppressed populations: a review of infection frequency, morbidity, mortality, and vaccine responses. Lancet Infect.Dis. 2009,9:493- 504.
7. World Health Organization, [Online; last updated December 2020], How do vaccines work? Available from:
Last accessed January 2024.
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Hertford Office Park, 90 Bekker Road, Midrand, 2196. Tel: (011) 256 3700.
MAT-ZA-2300958-1.0 - 11/2023
