Strategies for preventing Influenza

[Aman]

Hello, my friend Smita, a 23-year-old woman, would like a recommendation for a nonprescription supplement to help her stay healthy and avoid influenza over the winter. She is staying in Canada. She is a teacher in a local day care center and is looking to use something “natural to prevent the flu” but is confused by all the information she has read online. Smita is frequently exposed to sick children at work and got the flu last year. She does not want to repeat the experience and miss work again this year. She denies any significant medical history and reports only using acetaminophen or ibuprofen occasionally as needed for menstrual cramps. She is allergic to eggs and has not received the flu vaccine since she was a teenager. Please recommend some management for her.

[Vatan]

@Aman Although various natural products, from echinacea and ginseng to vitamin C and zinc, have some plausible efficacy in reducing common cold symptoms, there is no OTC dietary product, medication, or supplement that is likely to prevent influenza. Influenza, as this patient may recall from her previous experience, is a contagious viral respiratory illness, with symptoms including fatigue, high fever, myalgias, and possible dehydration. A 3-fold approach to influenza prevention should be implemented, according to the CDC. This includes getting a flu vaccine; taking everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs such as avoiding contact with sick people and avoiding others when sick, staying home for at least 24 hours after a fever is gone, covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and then throwing the tissue away, washing hands, and disinfecting surfaces; and taking flu antiviral drugs if they are prescribed. Smita’s egg allergy and rationale for not receiving the influenza vaccine should be further explored. Depending on the severity of the allergy (eg, hives only versus angioedema, respiratory distress, or other severe symptoms when exposed to eggs, egg proteins, or a previous dose of the influenza vaccine), a clinician can tell her this is likely one of the best interventions for reducing the risk of contracting influenza.