Flu: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

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There is a good Canadian Press by Michael Macdonald about the often long time it takes to make a full recovery from flu. A full blown case of classical influenza can really lay you low for days or weeks. People often report never having felt so sick. But once you are "recovered" and back to work or your daily activities you aren't necessarily fully recovered:

It's not just a hacking cough, either. Months of enervation for some, moderate fatigue for others and not being as robust as before for many isn't uncommon. These aren't people who wound up in the hospital but people who suffered through the flu at home. The cost in lost work and productivity when a sizable fraction of the population is affected (Canadian public health authorities are estimating 10% to 30%) is staggering. And with pandemic flu the age distribution gets shifted to the left, with younger people who are working most affected.

There are a lot of bad diseases out there, but in terms of the sheer number of previously healthy people who can have their daily lives affected for a significant period, flu gets my respect.

More at: http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2010/03/flu_the_gift_that_keeps_on_giv.php

The Editors of Effect Measure are senior public health scientists and practitioners. Paul Revere was a member of the first local Board of Health in the United States (Boston, 1799). The Editors sign their posts "Revere" to recognize the public service of a professional forerunner better known for other things.

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