1. Fever with cough and cold is flu, unless proved otherwise.
2. No fever, no flu
3. In low risk patients (no pregnancy, not a newborn/elderly or no comorbidity), with no breathlessness, no testing, hospital admission and/or Tamiflu is required.
4. People with co-morbid conditions, pregnant women and the elderly should not ignore flu
5. No breathlessness, then only digital consultation to avoid crossinfection.
6. For the general public, simple surgical mask; for doctors, N95 mask
7. Wearing a mask is a must in registration counters
8. There should be separate line for labs/x-ray, with people wearing a mask.
9. Children suffering from flu should be allowed leave from school.
10. Office workers suffering from flu should be given paid holiday.
11. Flu patients should enter the doctor’s chamber wearing a mask.
12. In low risk patients, it does not matter, if it is swine flu or the common flu. Cough hygiene is same for both. Keep distance of 3 feet; hand wash with soap and water after coughing or sneezing, cover your nose or mouth with a tissue when coughing, promptly dispose used tissues; throw the used tissue in a waste basket and if you dont have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands
13. Tamiflu is effective only if given in the first 48 hours unless you are a high risk patient. Even then, it only shortens the duration by one day.
14. Tamiflu is not given without testing, which costs around Rs. 4000/-. So if you are a low risk patient, why spend this amount?

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania   (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Immediate Past National President IMA