SPOKANE-- The H1N1 flu season has hit hard over the past couple of months. Now the seasonal flu is also here and not everyone is prepared. Doctors’ offices across Spokane are still flooded with calls about the seasonal flu and swine flu. Anyone not eligible for the vaccine needs to stock up on a few basic essentials. Doctor Gary Knox from Rockwood Clinic says an over-the-counter medicine is a good idea to start down the road to recovery. He says simple cough medicines, nasal decongestants, and antihistamines which might reduce mucus production are helpful. Something else to have is a thermometer. Dr. Knox says if a fever gets to be 103 degrees it’s time to see a doctor. The products can help relieve symptoms, but the best defense against the seasonal and swine flu is to get vaccinated. Aside from that, keep washing your hands, because Dr. Knox says it is just the beginning of the flu season. He says there are a few cases of regular seasonal flu in the community now and he doesn’t know what the season is going to be like.
