One of the most common misconceptions that patients coming to me have is that the flu is the same as having the common cold. I get how they may have thought so but it is important that they - and you too - understand the difference. Unlike the common cold, influenza which causes the flu presents with fever, chills, headache, generalized body ache and weakness. More importantly, there are over 3 to 5 million cases of severe episodes of influenza every year of which nearly 2.9 lakh to 6.5 lakh die. Yes, die.
So, yes. Influenza is not a simple cold. What is worse is that influenza can spread really easily when an infected person sneezes, releasing droplets containing the virus through the air up to a distance of six feet infecting people in close proximity. The time from infection to illness, known as the incubation period, is about 2 days, but can range from anywhere between one to four…
