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It is winter and with the cold fronts and freezing temperatures
come the much-dreaded flu. It is torture and you just need to
rest, drink hot fluids and get through it. Sneezes, coughs and
body ache. The standard symptoms and one gets it. It goes
around. India or US there is nothing that can fight a common
cold/flu. The grandmother prescribed hot fluids and bed rest.
And a common trend here in the US is the flu
shots - an injection taken on the onset of flu season to prevent
flu for the season. Coming from Chennai, this concept seems so
alien to me. After every monsoon, I end up sneezing and coughing
and after three days, I make the usual trip to the doctor, who
suggests Vitamin C pills and Vicks inhalation and my symptoms
disappear. I am back to normal. And when I see the
advertisements for flu shots all over, I am more than skeptical.
I am in no way familiar with the medical world. Nor am I
competent to discuss the pros and cons of such an injection but
my idea was to shed some light on how things are different from
Chennai on tiny things like flu.
And not just in this instance, I have seen
that the Americans are more for prevention and try to take steps
towards launching preventive measures than waiting for the
disease to strike. They take similar precaution for floods,
hurricanes (cyclones), or any other kind of man-made or natural
disasters having the potential to affect the people.
Numerous studies are undertaken and measures
to educate the public about the preventive steps are taken. It
surprises me to see the 30 crore plus people of the US taking
measures to prevent the common cold/flu. They know that
prevention is always better than cure.
I remember the preventive measures taken to
vaccinate against polio and elephantiasis in India. The loud
speakers blaring measures urging people to take their kids to
the neighborhood vaccination centers, the TV ads showing kids
affected by polio and the amount of cajoling and canvassing
needed to get people out of their homes. And with that image in
mind, I am awe-stuck as I see numerous people line up for their
flu shots every winter without any pursuation or pressure or
advertisements. Education I think is the key. And I dream of an
India where we underline the need for prevention rather than
cure.
- V
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