Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 21, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - It starts with a sneeze, some sniffling, a cough and then fever.

Cold and flu season is upon Yellowknife but the good news is that the flu vaccine will be on time this year.

Public health nurse Karen Martin gives Laurie Parton, public health manager, a shot in the arm. Flu vaccines will begin in Yellowknife within a month. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo How can you tell the difference between a cold and the flu? Health and Social Services has a fact sheet comparing some of the symptoms: Fever: • Cold, rarely; Flu, usually a high fever between 102F/39C-104F/40C and lasts three-to-four days. Headache: • Cold, rarely; Flu - usual, can be severe. General aches and pains: • Cold, sometimes but mild; Flu, normal and often severe, lasting two to three weeks or more. Extreme fatigue: • Cold, unusual; Flu, usually at the early onset and can be severe. Runny, stuffy nose: • For cold and flu it is a common symptom. Sneezing: • Cold, common; Flu, sometimes. Sore throat: • Common for both colds and the flu. Chest discomfort, coughing: • Cold, sometimes mild to moderate; Flu, usual and can become severe. Complications: • Cold can lead to sinus congestion or earache; Flu, can lead to penumonia and respiratory failure and can be life threatening.

Last year's vaccine was delayed because of problems in growing one of the three influenza strains needed for the vaccine.

That wasn't a problem this year, said Wanda White, a communicable disease consultant with Health and Social Services.

The vaccine will be available in late October. Yellowknife Public Health is still confirming the locations for free flu vaccine clinics. Approximately 15,000 doses have been ordered.

The flu season looks serious this year White said.

"The reports out of Australia are very concerning. What they're seeing this year is a particularly bad strain. There's a high amount of people sick, it's attacking younger people and certainly they've been seeing some death in infants," she said.

The flu vaccine is strongly encouraged in the high-risk groups she said. These include people over 65 with compromised immune systems and children and infants between six and 23 months and their care providers.

White had some advice on how people can help lower their risk of catching a cold or the flu.

"With cold and flu season (what's important) is for people to be more meticulous about washing their hands," she said.

Germs can linger on a surface long after a person has used it, and then it's just a matter of a person touching his mouth, nose, or eyes to allow the germs entry into the body.

"If you sneeze, sneeze into your sleeve. It's called cough and cold etiquette," she said.

Saeid Mushtheh is a naturopathic doctor in Yellowknife.

He said there are a number of herbs and foods people can eat to help prevent colds and the flu.

"Ginger is really awesome, you want a warming food so add it to soups. Boiled turnips energize the immune system," he said.

He also said that an internal cleansing of the system can also help.

"One of the reasons a lot of people catch the flu is because they don't do a cleanse or a detoxification in the fall."

He said historically, many cultures fast at the change of seasons.

Other ways to help fight colds and flu are supplements.

Vitamin C is helpful, Mushtheh said. He recommended taking one to two grams a day.

"Ecchinacea is awesome but it should not be taken more than 30 days in a row," he said.

A homeopathic drug that works well is Oscillo, he said.

"It's a homeopathic remedy specifically for colds and flu. The wonderful thing about it is that it has double-blind placebo studies," he said. This means in clinical trials the drug has proven to work in decreasing the intensity and duration of colds.

"It doesn't have side effects and can be used with kids at any ages," said Mushtheh.