If You Catch the Flu. Stay in bed - preferably until your temperature has been normal for 48 hours. This helps your body fight off the virus. Drink plenty of fluids. You can ease the pain and fever with aspirin or paracetamol if you're an adult, but only use paracetamol for children as aspirin is unsuitable.
Children can catch as many as ten colds each year and adults two or three.
The worst symptoms usually last only one to two days and can include a mild fever, headache, runny nose and sneezing. Prevention and treatment are similar to flu - except there's no vaccine against colds and most people don't need to stay in bed. As with the flu, it's a good idea to keep away from other people so that you don't spread the virus. 7517 GPO Box 1614, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia This site has been made possible with the cooperation and support of NSW Health Dept and South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service.