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Flu prevention

For centuries it has silently stalked us, killing tens of millions of people and evading all the best efforts at a permanent cure. It is influenza, a potentially lethal bug whose unique ability to reinvent itself in deadlier forms has prompted researchers to dub it the "last great virus" facing humanity. CBC Archives explores the deadly history of influenza and looks at what's being done to avoid a new global pandemic.

With many variants of the flu and the cold bug, the viruses claim plenty of victims each year. Canadians will do just about anything to avoid getting sick but there are many misconceptions when it comes to avoiding the virus. Despite what mothers have said, bundling up does not protect you from the cold, Dr. Pauline Pariser tells an incredulous CBC's Hana Gartner. "Having wet hair, putting your feet in cold water, exposing yourself to cold air... according to the research... there has been no increased incidences of catching a virus."

Another common misconception is that kissing transmits the virus. Not so, says Pariser. For the disease to develop, the virus must pass through the nasopharynx, where the nose and throat meet. This means it is most commonly transmitted through contact with hands. 
• The flu and the cold are both respiratory illnesses with similar symptoms including fever, aches, fatigue and dry cough. In general, the cold is usually milder than the flu and cold sufferers are more likely to develop runny or stuffy noses. The flu, unlike the cold, can result in serious health problems, hospitalization and even death.

• A cold usually lasts three or four days but can linger for up to 10 days. Many adults will get two to three colds a year. Most children will have somewhere between six and 10.
• Cold symptoms generally begin gradually, two to three days after infection, but the flu happens suddenly. A flu sufferer will experience a knocked-off-your-feet feeling, accompanied by aches and fever. The fever may last for three to five days. Flu sufferers may feel weak, tired and keep coughing for up to three weeks.

• The flu occurs in outbreaks, usually during winter and early spring.
• Colds are prevalent in fall and winter, when children are in school and people spend more time indoors. In places where there is no winter, common colds are more frequent during the rainy season.

• There are over 200 different cold viruses but only a few different flu viruses which is why there's a vaccine for the flu but not for colds.
• There is no known cure for the cold or the flu. According to the College of Family Physicians of Canada, Canadians spend more than $300 million a year on over-the-counter cold remedies. Some products may offer relief from symptoms, but no product can cure the disease or make it end sooner.

• The best way to prevent catching the cold or the flu is frequent hand washing and avoiding touching the nose and the eyes.

• Time, bed rest and plenty of liquids are the best bets for beating the virus.

• Despite what Dr. Pariser says in this TV report, a recent study (2005) suggested that bundling up on cold days can actually offer protection against the cold and the flu. Researchers at Cardiff University observed 90 students with their bare feet in cold water for 20 minutes and another 90 with their feet in an empty bowl. Thirteen of those who had dipped their feet in cold water reported cold symptoms about five days later compared to five cases in the control group.
Medium: Television
Program: The National Magazine
Broadcast Date: Feb. 14, 1997
Guest(s): Dan Kertesz, Pauline Pariser
Reporter: Hana Gartner
Duration: 8:43

Last updated: January 8, 2013

Page consulted on April 2, 2013

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