TerryWhite Chemmart pharmacist Chris Campbell
answers some important questions about how to
stay or get well this winter
What’s the best
plan of attack if
I do get sick?
The most important
thing is to make sure you
rest, keep your fluids up
and eat well. There are
also medications and
products that can help to
manage your symptoms.
It’s important to speak
to your pharmacist about
which products are most
appropriate so you avoid
doubling doses if you’re
taking multiple products.
And, if you are sick, stay
home as much as possible
and cough or sneeze into
your inner elbow if you
don’t have a tissue, to
avoid infecting others.
Compared with your
hands, your inner elbow
is much less likely to
touch another surface, so
you are less likely to
transmit your virus. If
you use a tissue, throw it
away immediately. ■Is the flu vaccination
recommended for
everyone or specific
groups of people?
There are some people who
would particularly benefit from
having the flu vaccination,
including those aged over 65,
pregnant women, Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islanders
aged 15 years and over, and
people, such as the parents
of young children and
healthcare professionals,
who could transmit influenza
to high-risk populations if
they were to catch it.
But the flu vaccination is
recommended for anyone
who wants to reduce their
likelihood of becoming ill
with influenza, an illness
that’s much more severe than
the common cold, can last up
to 10 days and, in some cases,
can be followed by a secondary
illness such as pneumonia.
TerryWhite Chemmart
pharmacies provide an
extremely convenient option
for customers wanting to get
a flu vaccination, with long
opening hours and flexible
vaccination times. This year,
the flu vaccination being
administered by TerryWhite
Chemmart pharmacists is a
quadrivalent vaccine, which
protects against four
strains of influenza
virus. You can book
a flu vaccination
appointment online at
terrywhitechemmart.
com.au or by visiting
your nearest
pharmacy.Q&A (^) ASK CHRIS