What to do about winter bugs - a GP's advice

Sneezing, coughing, a runny nose and sore throat: Thousands of people are falling sick every week.

As we navigate the depths of winter and ride the back end of a Covid wave, what can be done to keep bugs away - and how do you tell whether a sniffle is serious?

Rotorua GP Dr Cate Hill told First Up that there were some concerning symptoms people should look out for.

"Things that would worry me are like a super high fever that doesn't come down with paracetamol, really severe headache or a lot of pressure in your face, super sore throat that makes it really hard to swallow. And any breathing difficulties, so feeling really short of breath with your cough."

She said often, the signs of something serious were hard to miss and using over-the-counter remedies would not mask the problem.

Hill recommended heading to the GP as soon as things felt unusual.

"Most GPs will have some sort of emergency service where they will see people who are really unwell as soon as they practically can, or at least give you a phone call or some sort of triage process to help you decide whether you need to be seen or not."

She said taking vitamin C and zinc supplements could help fight infection, but it was better to include them as part of a healthy diet to prevent illness.

"If you're not getting enough in your diet, then that's going to make you more vulnerable."

Using nasal rinses was a good idea because they helped clear the nose, she said.

She also recommended nasal sprays.

"We know that those are helpful. One, because they help with symptom control and two, because they help you breathe and recover faster as well."

She said pseudoephedrine, which recently returned to pharmacy shelves, was effective if used responsibly.

But it was not just a healthy diet and the right medications that helped, she said - it was also important to have a clean and dry living space.

And people who were unwell were better off staying away from the workplace to avoid the spread of bugs, she said.