As many as 50 percent of her customers in the last four to six weeks have requested flu medications for symptoms such as aches and pains, watery eyes, runny nose and fever. Such requests resulted in empty shelves for at least one pharmacy. U-Save pharmacist Wendy Baier said it ran out of Relenza completely last week and has been low on Tamiflu for the last couple of weeks. Both pharmacists assured that the shelves are fully stocked now, however. Influenza, or the flu, is an acute respiratory infection caused by a variety of viruses, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Most people recover within a week.
However, for the elderly, newborn babies and people with certain chronic illnesses, flu and its complications can be life-threatening. It is spread primarily through coughing and sneezing, and the infection is contagious for three to four days after symptoms appear. It outsmarts the vaccine. Higgins recommended the shot, and Lois Stienike, executive director of the Grand Generation Center, said it has prevented an outbreak there. Higgins estimated her office visits at 15 percent to 20 percent, while Baier said 10 percent to 20 percent of U-Save pharmacy's customers have reported having the flu.