Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Ordinary flu and pandemic flu – the differences

Ordinary
  • 0ccurs every year during the winter
  • affects 10 to 15 per cent of the UK popuation
  • most people recover within 1 or 2 weeks without medical treatment
  • can be identified in advance and a vaccine can be made (this immunisation is known as the flu jab and helps protect people from ordinary flu)

Pandemic flu

  • occurs during any season
  • affects more people than ordinary flu (up to half the population)
  • is a more serious infection
  • people of all ages may be at risk of infection
  • a vaccine cannot be made because the virus strain has not been identifed
  • antiviral medicine is stockpiled to treat people

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