What should you do if you get the flu?

If you get the flu, you should try to stay away from other people.

This includes:

  • staying home from work or school

  • staying away from other people in your home

  • staying away from people who can get very sick from the flu, like older people.

If you think you have the flu, you should contact your doctor as soon as you can.

Your doctor can:

  • help you find out if you have the flu
  • decide if you can use antiviral medicine.

Antiviral medicine is a type of medicine you take to help fight a virus.

It might reduce how long you can spread it to other people.

If you can use antiviral medicine, you should take it in the first 2 days that you feel sick.

How can you get better?

You can help yourself get better by:

  • resting

  • drinking water.

You can also take:

  • paracetamol
  • or
  • ibuprofen.

These can help if you:

  • have a fever

  • feel pain.

When to call Triple Zero (000)

You can call Triple Zero and ask for an ambulance.

000

You should call Triple Zero straight away if:

  • it is hard to breathe
  • you are breathing very fast
  • you feel pain in your chest
  • you feel confused or dizzy
  • you keep vomiting.

You should tell the person on the phone that you might have the flu.