Every year, an average of 600 people die due to complications of flu but are people working on keeping themselves healthy this year?
More than 310 people died during the 2018-19 flu season in UK, approximately 5500 were hospitalised out of which more than 3150 people were admitted to an intense Care Unit due to flu.
Viral infection or seasonal flu tends to breakout in the autumn and reaches its peak during the winter months, every year. It is a highly infectious virus, quite different from the common cold. Flu can be particularly serious in adults aged 65 or more, children up to the age of 5 and people with underlying health conditions.
We asked Cardiff residents on their hacks of keeping healthy to avoid catching flu.
Tom, 70, Retired
“I get my wife to cook for me. I exercise a lot but I have injured my ankle right now. I am immune to everything. I’d say put a vest on in September, keep it on in November and take it off in May”
Anais, 21 & Patricia, 21, Language assistants
“We eat a lot of vegetables. There were some days when we walked 10 kms a day, so we count that as exercise. We have natural remedies, like hot milk with honey or honey and lemon with some hot water for cough.”
Julie, 50, Semi retired
“I take vitamins every day, like Vitamin C and go out walking. My mother used to give warm lemonade to me when I was little, sometimes it is quite soothing. Go to bed after having it, sweat it out.”
Uma, 32, House wife
“I don’t do anything to avoid flu. Back home in India, I would use some home remedies to get well, like ginger tea. I drink warm water everyday here though.”
Lauren, 25, Assistant director
“I try and go to the gym at least 3 times a week. It just makes me feel a little bit better. I never go the doctor if I catch a cold, but I will always buy three boxes of Lemsip, and a nasal spray. I am not very good at diet but I try to have vegetables with everything, balances it out in my head.”