The doctor has appeared on 24 Hours in A&E and shared his tips and tricks to beating the cold and flu this winter.
A health expert has revealed a simple and cost-effective remedy that could help people combat the common cold and flu. With children back in school and the colder weather setting in, it’s inevitable that many will start falling ill with the annual bug, leaving us questioning ‘do I have a cold or the flu?
But what can actually alleviate these symptoms? Dr Oscar Duke, who gained popularity from the award-winning documentary, 24 Hours in A&E, shared his insights on BBC Morning Live saying: “Some studies have shown that temperature may have a slight impact on the immune system but there’s nothing really conclusive.
“Of course at this time of year everyone is back at school, when the weather isn’t as nice outside, people are confined [to one space inside] and all of these viruses that cause colds and flus are airborne” meaning that with people crowded in one place, illnesses can spread far easier. “So being in close proximity in colder weather makes you more likely to get it, and it just happens at this time of year”, Dr Duke added.
Discussing flu jabs, Dr Xand Van Tulleken asked who was eligible for it with Dr Duke explaining: “For adults it is going to be slightly later this year from October 3 and that’s because we know that the peak time for getting the flu is December and January and that the flu jab, which you need to get every year to get the up-to-date version, actually wears out with time so we’ve pushed it a little bit later for adults into October rather than normally September so you hopefully have maximum effect from it when there is most flu around in December and January.” It’s also a little bit earlier for children too, he said.
You can have the flu jab if you fit the following:
- Children age 2 or 3 on August 31 2024 – given as a nasal spray
- Pregnant women
- Anyone over 65
- Under 65s in clinical risk groups
- Carers
- Long stay care home residents
- Household contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Frontline health and social care workers
School children may also be offered the jab. You can read more about the flu jab here.
Do I have a cold or the flu?
Dr Duke explains: “It’s difficult to say because a lot of the symptoms overlap. These are all viral infections so you get a runny nose, a sore throat and maybe a fever” but there are some ways you can tell.
If you have a cold…
- Symptoms appear gradually
- Affects mainly your nose and throat
- Feel unwell but okay to carry on as normal
If you have the flu…
- Appears quickly within a few hours
- Affects more than your nose and throat
- Feel exhausted and unable to carry on as normal
Salt water cold and flu trick to help symptoms
While there’s no magic cure for the common cold or flu, one remedy that could help speed up your recovery is as simple as salt water – and it can be bought for just 55p. Besides the traditional ‘gargling salt’ method to soothe a sore throat, there’s another lesser-known trick.
Dr Duke, a health expert, revealed that a recent study conducted in Edinburgh, Scotland, involving around 400 children found that using salt water “you could reduce the symptom duration by about two days”. He further explained that although the virus might still be present, this method can alleviate symptoms and clear some of the mucus that’s making you feel unwell.
You can do this at home by following these steps:
- Boil some water and allow it to cool completely
- Get 3 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and mix together
- Next pop the mixture into the cooled boiled water
- Add one teaspoon of your mixture to 250ml of water – this is about one cup of water
- Dr Duke says at this stage, “you can use a little spray you get from the pharmacy or a dropper or you can sniff it up from your palm.”
While it won’t make a huge difference, he advises that it can help to slightly alleviate symptoms, particularly if you’re feeling congested. You could also try consuming chicken soup, honey and maintaining a diet of healthy, nutritious food to speed up your recovery from the flu or cold.
