Winter Health - Avoiding Festive Flu

Main Category: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 22 Dec 2008 - 2:00 PST

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Sickly Brits will spend more than three-and-a-half years of their lives suffering from colds and flu, new research has revealed. Each year, according to a recent survey of 2000 people commissioned by Dettol, the average Brit will suffer from three colds, each bout lasting just over five days. We also suffer from flu once a year so the average adult is laid up with a cold and flu for almost three weeks every year.

Over the average adult lifetime, that adds up to a staggering three years, five months and 15 days of suffering.

Three quarters of folk think being sneezed on is the most common way to catch a cold, yet nearly two thirds admitted they had no idea that the cold and flu virus can survive on household surfaces for up to two days.

A spokesman for Dettol, which carried out the poll, said: ''We all know that catching a cold or flu can make you feel dreadful, but now we know it can lead to years of suffering! There's a real role for home hygiene here as disinfection on targeted germ hotspots can help stop the spread of cold and flu viruses."

Researchers also discovered that 71 per cent believe someone coughing on you will lead to catching a cold. Nearly 59 per cent think simply breathing in the same air as someone who is ill means they are likely to catch it and over half worry they will get it if they shake hands with someone who has covered their mouths while coughing.

Leading virologist, Professor John Oxford of the UK Hygiene Council added: "The cold virus is a hardy one because it survives on surfaces for so long and can then be passed on, putting the whole family at risk of infection. The poll also revealed that 17 per cent say their festive season is ruined at least every other year by colds or flu, which of course is no fun for anyone. Using a quality disinfectant product that kills bacteria and viruses including cold and flu viruses can help protect you and your family this Christmas.''

The research also found that our suffering of colds and flu is bad news for employers as 44 per cent admit they take time off work when they feel under the weather with a cold. Another 71 per cent call in sick when they have flu.

Interestingly though,, although 49 per cent of people don't think a cold is a good enough reason for taking time off, more than three quarters of us get annoyed if a work colleague comes in while suffering from the sniffles.

Dettol