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Flu will often get better on its own, but it can make some people seriously ill. It's important to get the flu vaccine if you're advised to.
Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:
The symptoms are similar for children, but they can also get pain in their ear and appear less active.
Cold and flu symptoms are similar, but flu tends to be more severe.
| Flu | Cold |
|---|---|
| Appears quickly within a few hours | Appears gradually |
| Affects more than just your nose and throat | Affects mainly your nose and throat |
| Makes you feel exhausted and too unwell to carry on as normal | Makes you feel unwell, but you still feel well enough to do your normal activities |
If you have flu, there are some things you can do to help get better more quickly.
rest and sleep
keep warm
take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)
A pharmacist can give treatment advice and recommend flu remedies.
Do not take paracetamol and flu remedies that contain paracetamol at the same time as it's easy to take more than the recommended dose.
Antibiotics do not work for viral infections such as flu. GPs do not recommend antibiotics for flu because they will not relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery.
You or your child have symptoms of flu and:
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
Flu is very infectious and easily spread to other people. You're more likely to give it to others in the first 5 days.
Flu is spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.
To reduce the risk of spreading flu:
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities.
Flu vaccines are safe and effective. They're offered every year on the NHS to help protect people at risk of flu and its complications.
The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn before flu starts spreading. But you can get vaccinated later.
A flu vaccine is given to people who:
The children's nasal spray flu vaccine is given to:
Babies and children aged 6 months to 2 years with certain health conditions will be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray.
If you're eligible for an NHS flu vaccine, you can:
Some people may be able to get vaccinated through their maternity service, care home or their employer if they are a frontline health or social care worker.
School-aged children will be offered a vaccine at school or an NHS community clinic.
