Free Local Flu Report

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

Free Local Flu Report At www.FluSTAR.com (NAPSA)—If you have a computer, you may be able to prevent the flu. FluSTAR (System for Tracking And Reporting Flu) is an easy-to-use Web site that provides monitoring of flu conditions throughout the U.S. Just log on and enter your zip code to see if the flu is spreading in your area. Each year, 35 to 50 million Americans come down with the flu and more than 200,000 are hospitalized from influenza complications. Americans may be more nervous about contracting the flu this season, since many hadto go without the vaccine. Early detection is the key to containing spread of the virus, and lessening the time a personis sick. Luckily, there is an easy way to alert people when the flu is hitting their area. Since FluSTARis updated twice weekly during flu season, patients are armed with the most current information on the flu in their hometown. Know- ing risk of exposure is high, experts hope that people will be more likely to visit a doctor as soon as they experience flu-like symptoms. “It’s important to visit a doctor as soon as you feel sick,” said Stephen C. Aronoff, M.D., Profes- sor and Chairperson, Department of Pediatrics, Temple University School of Medicine. “Your doctor can prescribe antiviral medications such as Tamiflu, which can prevent flu, if taken within 48 hours of exposure, and reduce the duration and severity of the flu, if taken within two days of experiencing the symptoms.” Antivirals, such as Tamiflu, can be particularly effective in preventing the spread of flu within a household or office when a family member or coworkeris infected. Patients and physicians can also download the Desktop Flu Tracker, which provides up-todate information about local and national flu levels 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Flu Tracker alerts the user when there is an increased risk in the area and links directly to expert information on prevention and treatment. Log on to www.flustar.com to determine the location and spread of influenza activity in your area. The Desktop Flu Tracker can be downloaded at www.tamiflu.com.

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