Influenza (flu)
Show 1357: Revisiting Ventilation to Avoid Airbo…
According to the CDC, cases of COVID-19 have been rising in several parts of the country. Cases of hospitalization for COVID are also up. One way to protect ourselves from airborne germs like the SARS…
If the COVID Pandemic Is Over, Can We Relax?
I am optimistic. For many months COVID cases have been steadily declining in the US. That’s at a time when most people have stopped being careful. Masks are mostly gone. People are traveling, dining…
Improve Indoor Air Quality to Fight COVID and Fl…
Masks are a thing of the past for most Americans. Even though a lot of people are still catching and spreading COVID these days, masking has pretty much faded away as a precautionary measure against c…
Are There Dangerous Viruses in the Air You Breat…
If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is that air quality matters! Despite the politicization of this disease, most people would prefer not to catch it if they could avoid it. Ditto for infl…
The Inside Story of Tamiflu Side Effects & …
One of the most familiar drugs for fighting influenza is Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Some people think it's great. They believe it helps prevent family members from catching the flu when one person is sick…
Will We Have a Bad Flu Season This Year?
The last thing most Americans and Europeans are thinking about at this time of year is influenza. This is not flu season! And most people have put worries about COVID-19 behind them. Over the last sev…
Will Chinese Herb Andrographis Ease Misery of Fl…
As we move into spring, flu season is receding. We will not hear public health announcements urging us to get our flu shots for another six months. But the question remains: what can you do if you cat…
Can Elderberry Juice Really Fight Flu Virus?
Elderberries and elderberry juice have long had a reputation for fighting the flu. Most physicians undoubtedly have considered this just another old wives’ tale. One reader remembers how her family …
Will Vitamin D Supplements Really Protect You fr…
Avoiding colds and flu is challenging. Physicians will tell you that vaccination is the only protection against influenza. Frequent hand washing is the other standard recommendation. Unfortunately, im…
Good News About This Year’s Flu Season!
Have You had the flu this year? I didn’t think so. Most people have avoided the H3N2 type-A influenza strain that has been circulating since October. By the way, that’s early! Normally the flu doe…
Does Injection Technique Lead to Bruising from I…
This season, nurses and pharmacists are giving flu shots and COVID boosters to help people stay out of the hospital. People who are afraid of needles have a lot of trouble with these immunizations. On…
Will You Get a Flu Shot? How Well Will It Work?
Every year, public health authorities urge Americans to roll up their sleeves and get a flu shot. The CDC sometimes suggests that people call ahead to make sure there is vaccine available. The reasons…
Surge in Viral Infections Linked to Shortage of …
The dreaded tripledemic seems to have arrived. Cases of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19 are higher than usual. Perhaps because these infections affect young children disproportiona…
Is It Too Late for a Flu Vaccination This Year?
No one likes a know-it-all. When such a person utters the deadly phrase "I told you so," it sets everyones' teeth on edge. It is, therefore, with complete awareness that I am going to annoy you, dear …
Will Elderberry Extract Help You Recover from Fl…
Natural approaches to healing are getting extra attention right now, as people try hard to stay out of doctors' offices if they can. After all, if you don't have COVID-19, you don't want to go anywher…
Will We Have a Tripledemic This Year? Health Off…
With the flu season in full swing, some public health experts are concerned about the possibility of a tripledemic. In such a scenario, three different respiratory viruses circulate at the same time…
Will Increasing FLU Create A Twindemic This Wint…
Influenza is on the rise! In Australia the recent flu season hit early and hard. Now, early indications are that a similar pattern is evolving in North America. The Health Commissioner for the state o…
Show 1314: Better Air Quality Through Ventilatio…
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we talk with one of the world’s leading experts on indoor air quality. If we had been paying more attention to air when the COVID-19 pandemic began…
Have You Had Lasting Pain from a Shot?
Every year, public health experts urge everyone who hasn't already been vaccinated to get a flu shot. People develop immunity within about two weeks of immunization. Most people expect to get the shot…
What Should You Know About Vaccine Effectiveness…
At one time, vaccines were not very controversial. In the 1950s, parents were overjoyed to vaccinate their children against polio. I should know. My parents feared I would die because I caught polio w…
The Great Influenza Fizzle…Again!
Every fall like clockwork we are told by the CDC that the flu is coming, THE FLU IS COMING! The message: Get vaccinated. Get vaccinated now! It will likely be bad. That was certainly the message durin…
Show 1253: The Lessons of COVID-19 on How to Avo…
Over the past year, the world has faced a global pandemic due to a previously unknown virus. People wanted and needed to know how the virus spread from person to person. At first, the focus was on fom…
A Silver Lining to COVID-19 – Fewer Flu Cases
If there were one good thing about COVID-19, it could be the impact on influenza. Public health authorities have noticed many fewer flu cases than they expected at this time of year. Why Are We Seeing…
What Happened to the Flu This Year?
Not long ago, we were frightened by the prospect of two terrible infections sweeping through communities. Public health authorities warned us that a bad influenza outbreak on top of COVID-19 would be …
Should You Get Vaccinated Against Flu This Year?
With flu season beginning, public health authorities are urging all of us to get vaccinated against flu this year. While people may worry about spending time in doctors' offices, this is not a good ye…
Flu Shots Linked to Deaths in South Korea
People are rushing to get their influenza vaccination. That is totally understandable. We have been warned that trying to cope with two different upper respiratory tract infections this winter could b…
Can We Fight Flu at the Same Time as COVID-19?
Shortly before flu season, public health experts got worried. Americans were encouraged to get their flu shots right away. The goal was to prevent double trouble: influenza on top of COVID-19. They di…
Experts Warn of Possible Pandemic Yet to Come
Is there another possible pandemic lurking around the corner? Public health officials are concerned that the world might have to deal with another serious health threat on top of COVID-19. A Possible …
Will Vitamin D Help You Avoid Infection?
Does vitamin D improve resistance against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19? British researchers suggest that adequate vitamin D levels might help people avoid infection. They caution, though,…
Should You Lower a Fever or Leave It Alone?
During the coronavirus pandemic any symptom is a cause for concern. A stuffy nose, cough or elevation in temperature is worrisome. Even under normal circumstances it can be hard to know when should yo…
Show 1208: Keeping Kids Healthy in the Age of Co…
Schools are closed and kids are home so that they don’t catch COVID-19 and spread it to family members. Of course, parents don’t want their children to get sick, either. How are we keeping kids he…
Will Tamiflu Side Effects Stop You from Taking I…
When COVID-19 infections are stalking the land, turning life upside and killing people, it may be tough to pay attention to influenza. However, flu season is not yet over. Although it is less exotic, …
Did This Year’s Flu Shot Work for Adults? NOPE…
Every fall the CDC tells all Americans to get the influenza vaccine. The point of the exercise is to prevent the flu! That seems like a great public health initiative, especially now that the world is…
Can Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) Help People Recover Fr…
Coronavirus has been capturing headlines around the world for good reason. We are getting closer to 100,000 people infected with COVID-19. It won’t be long before 2,000 deaths will have been reporte…
Protecting Yourself from the Flu with Tamiflu
The flu season this year started early and has been atypical, with type B influenza dominating first. At this point, however, influenza is widespread in most of the country. (Here's a link to the CDC …
Is There Influenza in Your Town?
Flu season began early in the US, but it shows no sign of fading. Influenza continues to spread around the country. Is there influenza in your town or county? What the Flu Season Looks Like So Far: In…
Can a Mask Help Protect You from Flu?
During flu season, people want to know how they can keep from catching it. Public health experts are happy to give advice. Most of the time, however, it boils down to just two items: get a flu shot an…
Coronavirus Freak Out: Is It Justified or Overbl…
The headlines have been relentless. Coronavirus continues to dominate health news around the world. There is an international coronavirus freak out. Face masks, including those purchased in pharmacies…
FDA Cracks Down on Claims for Hand Sanitizers
When infections like colds or influenza are spreading rapidly, people may rely on hand sanitizers to try to stay healthy. Public health experts acknowledge that hand hygiene is crucial for disease pre…
Should You Take Antiviral Drugs If You Catch the…
The Chinese coronavirus is capturing headlines around the world and for good reason. This infection is spreading very fast in China and people are dying. It has also been identified in several other c…