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Flu and colds: home treatment or a doctor

A common cold resolves by itself within a week and needs no doctor. Flu is different: it begins abruptly with a temperature near 39 °C, aching and headache, and it is flu that causes pneumonia, myocarditis and flare-ups in cardiac patients. The task is to notice when "treating it at home" turns into "needing help".

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What to do right now

Rest, fluids, calm
Do not "walk it off". Two to two and a half litres of fluid a day. Ventilate the room and keep the air humid.
Treat fever above 38.5 °C
Paracetamol or ibuprofen in the correct dose, no more often than every 6–8 hours. Never aspirin for children.
Antivirals within 48 hours
For influenza, oseltamivir or zanamivir work only if started in the first two days. A rapid flu test confirms the diagnosis in 15 minutes.
Watch the breathing
Breathlessness at rest, chest pain on inspiration, oxygen saturation below 94 % — signs of pneumonia.
Buy a pulse oximeter
Saturation below 94 % in an adult or 95 % in a child is a reason to call regardless of how the person feels.

Call an ambulance if

Temperature above 39 °C that will not come down or lasts more than three days
Breathlessness, chest pain, saturation below 94 %
Confusion, extreme weakness, inability to stand
Seizures with fever, or a rash that does not fade under pressure
A baby under one year with fever; any child who is lethargic, refusing fluids or vomiting
Elderly, pregnant, diabetic, cardiac or asthmatic patients with a temperature above 38.5 °C

What not to do

Do not take antibiotics for a viral infection — they do nothing against viruses
Do not rub children with vodka or vinegar
Do not wrap up during fever
Do not drive while taking fever medication or codeine-containing cough syrups

What the crew does

Examination, temperature, oxygen saturation, chest auscultation
Rapid tests for influenza A/B and streptococcus — 15 minutes
Injectable fever medication, infusion for dehydration, inhalation for bronchospasm
Admission for pneumonia and respiratory failure — in Moscow, Infectious Hospitals 1 and 2 and the Botkin hospital

This page is for information and does not replace a medical examination. If the condition worsens, call the crew: +7 (985) 887-82-52.

This page in Russian: Russian version.

Questions

How do I know whether it is flu or a cold?

Flu starts suddenly with high fever and body aches; the runny nose comes later. A cold builds gradually from a sore throat and blocked nose with a mild temperature. A rapid test settles it.

How much does a call-out for flu cost in Moscow?

Call-out 6,000 ₽ inside the MKAD, rapid test by the price list, full treatment under the ARVI standard 30,000 ₽; individual injections cost less.

Can you issue a sick note?

No — ambulance services in Moscow do not issue certificates of incapacity for work. Your local clinic does, including on a home visit.