Coughs, Cold & Flu

Coughs, colds and flu are a fact of life in the winter. On average adults get between two and five colds a year, while children get seven to 10.

Colds and flu are caused by viruses. There are over 200 common cold viruses, and three types of flu virus with many different strains, so they're hard to avoid. These viruses can be spread through droplets that are coughed and sneezed out by an infected person. The viruses can also be transferred on a person's fingers (for example, if you have a cold and you touch your nose or eyes and then touch someone else, you may pass the virus on to them).

The main symptoms of winter bugs are coughing, sneezing, blocked nose, sore throat, headache and a slight temperature. If these are the only symptoms you have, it’s unlikely that your GP will be able to do anything.

Most of us know that a trip to the GP surgery isn’t necessary. Only 5% of people in the UK visit their doctor because of a winter cold.

You may want to visit your local pharmacy, where you can get advice on how to manage the symptoms and buy over-the-counter medicine.

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