Your Guide to Influenza Symptoms, Risks, and Care
Table of Contents Help Others Discover – Click to Share! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Table of Contents Season after season, influenza makes its return, often suddenly, often aggressively, and almost always catching people off guard. The flu is more than a routine seasonal illness; it can disrupt daily life, lead to serious health complications, and place pressure on healthcare systems worldwide. As cases increase during the peak season, it is crucial to have ways to facilitate access to care. As such, this is where Cellmaflex becomes your mobile health partner, allowing you to book an appointment online without any phone calls, find local doctors, pharmacies and labs, and view your medical history at any time and anywhere. In this blog, we will discuss what the flu is, how it is spread, key influenza symptoms, factors that put you at risk, ways to prevent it, how it is diagnosed and treated, when to seek urgent care, and how solutions like Cellmaflex makes accessing healthcare easier during flu season. What Is Influenza? Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a contagious viral infection that primarily affects the respiratory system, including the nose, throat, and lungs. It is caused by influenza viruses that continuously evolve, creating new strains each year, which is why seasonal outbreaks occur across the globe and why consistent monitoring and vaccination remains critical. According to the World Health Organisation, there are an estimated 1 billion influenza cases every year, with 3–5 million of these progressing to severe illness. Tragically, seasonal influenza is responsible for up to 650,000 respiratory-related deaths annually, highlighting the importance of early detection, preventive care, and timely access to healthcare services. As flu cases rise, many individuals turn to digital platforms for quick support. Cellmaflex helps users find nearby clinics for flu tests, book their slot instantly, and access vaccination history to check whether they are due for a shot. How the Flu is Transmitted The influenza virus spreads rapidly, so it is important to identify influenza symptoms early and take preventative action. The virus spreads through droplets expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These droplets either land in the air or on surfaces and can be transferred when the infected person touches their mouth, eyes, or nose. Transmission will be increased in crowded spaces, poor ventilation, and physical contact. During the flu season, Cellmaflex can be used to locate a clinic or pharmacy that is not busy and therefore decrease the amount of time that the individual is exposed to the flu germ. Common Influenza Symptoms: Influenza often appears suddenly, and understanding the full range of influenza symptoms can help individuals seek timely care. Typical symptoms include: The sudden appearance of fever or chills Sore throat, dry cough Muscle and body aches Fatigue and weakness Headache and stuffy/congested nose Possibly nausea and/or vomiting (this is more common in small children). Because these influenza symptoms overlap with other respiratory infections, timely evaluation is key. Through Cellmaflex, users can quickly find testing centres and book appointments directly, helping them avoid unnecessary delays. Risk Factors and Complications While no one is immune to the flu, some groups of people have greater risk for severe illness and sometimes complications: People aged 65 years and older Children less than 5 years old Women who are pregnant People with chronic medical problems like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and Those whose immune systems have been compromised or weakened. Some of the complications of flu can include pneumonia, sinusitis, bronchitis, and exacerbation of chronic health problems. Severe influenza symptoms, such as prolonged fever, chest tightness, or dehydration should never be ignored. Cellmaflex supports users from the early stages by helping them identify nearby specialists, laboratories for further testing, and pharmacies for antiviral medications. Prevention The most effective way to reduce the risk of severe influenza symptoms is the annual flu vaccine. Vaccination helps adapt to circulating strains each year and offers significant protection. Other preventive steps include: Frequent handwashing Covering coughs and sneezes Avoiding close contact with people who are ill Sleeping well, staying hydrated, and maintaining a nutrient-rich diet If you’re unsure whether you received your last shot, Cellmaflex allows you to check your vaccination history instantly and locate nearby facilities offering flu immunisation. Diagnosis and Treatment Doctors typically diagnose influenza based on history, physical examination, and, when needed, rapid flu tests or PCR testing. Recognising influenza symptoms early increases the likelihood of appropriate treatment. For most people, the following will help them to recover in their own home: Adequate sleep and rest Drinking fluids Taking fever-reducing medications If you are at high risk of developing complications from the flu or showing signs of severe flu, your physician may prescribe antiviral medications. Cellmaflex helps users quickly find clinics that offer flu tests and locate pharmacies for antiviral medication availability. When to Seek Medical Care If you experience one or more of these signs or symptoms, seek immediate medical attention: Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath Chest pain or pressure Uncontrolled fever (105.4°or higher, unless treated) Severe weakness or feeling confused Dehydration, especially in children or elderly people. Recognising worsening flu symptoms early will help to reduce the risk of complication from the flu. Through Cellmaflex, patients can find urgent care centres or consult their healthcare provider without waiting in long lines. Influenza continues to affect millions each year, making awareness and early action essential. Recognising influenza symptoms, practising prevention, and seeking timely care can significantly reduce the risk of complications. Accessing quality care has never been easier with Cellmaflex. Not only can you locate nearby physicians or clinics, but you’ll also be able to instantly schedule appointments and track your health history and immunization records online. Register for Free Recent Blogs FAQs
Reimagining EHR in Virtual Care with Cellma
Table of Contents Help Others Discover – Click to Share! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Table of Contents Across the UK and around the world, virtual care is rapidly redefining how healthcare is delivered. As outpatient demand grows, chronic conditions rise, and hospitals or health institutions struggle with increasing pressures, healthcare systems are pivoting toward models that prioritise remote access, proactive monitoring, and digital-first patient engagement. The NHS 10 Year Plan and NHS England’s virtual wards programme reflects this shift clearly, in December 2024, England reported a virtual ward “bed” capacity of 12,733, with an average occupancy rate of 75.4%, and around 9,600–9,900 patients on virtual wards. Over 100,000 patients have been treated in NHS virtual wards in the last year. Evidence from virtual wards focusing on frailty has demonstrated that 99% of patients are likely to recommend this form of support, and patients cared for in their own home are eight times less likely to have functional decline compared to being in a hospital inpatient environment. Additionally, when cared for at home, patients are five times less likely to develop infections as compared to receiving care in more traditional hospital environments, and virtual wards have seen 2.5× fewer rescues to a frailty bed compared to an acute norm. Yet many organisations remain stuck in fragmented digital ecosystems, using separate telehealth apps, portals, and monitoring tools that don’t connect or support complete care pathways. This leads to dual documentation, decision-making delays, and inconsistent patient experiences. Cellma’s Virtual Care Solutions eliminate these barriers through a fully integrated, NHS-ready digital ecosystem. By connecting hospitals, community services, neighbourhood care centres, and virtual wards in one platform, Cellma ensures every patient receives the right care, at the right time, in the right setting. Governance, Compliance, and Global Standards Trust and safety sit at the heart of Cellma’s virtual care design. All virtual care workflows, whether consultations, monitoring, or digital triage operate within a secure, compliant, and auditable framework. NHS and National Compliance – Cellma is compliant with all NHS Digital and statutory obligations including: Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) Cyber Essentials standards DCB0129 and DCB0160 clinical risk management standards UK GDPR and ISO 27001 information security standards NHS terminologies including SNOMED CT, LOINC, dm+d, and ICD-10 Interoperability Standards Cellma’s architecture provides full Interoperability via: FHIR, HL7, and DICOM Integration with NHS Spine, GP Connect, e-RS Global compliance standards for international deployments These capabilities ensure safe, accurate, and high-integrity exchange of information across primary, secondary, and community care, both locally and internationally. Aligned with the NHS Vision for Digitally Enabled Virtual Care Cellma is purpose built and supports the NHS 10-Year Plan and the rapidly expanding national virtual care agenda. Our platform seamlessly connects clinicians working in hospitals, community health and remote monitoring programs, and patients at home, into a single interoperable solution. With deep alignment to NHS priorities, Cellma supports: Virtual ward programmes that provide hospital-level care in the home. Community and neighbourhood care centres that share patient records. Real-time remote monitoring for chronic and long-term conditions. Secure video consultations that are CQC and NHS Digital compliant. Cross-organisation MDT collaboration through a single digital communication platform. Data continuity across GP systems, hospitals, and digital services. By integrating seamlessly with NHS Spine, GP Connect, and e-Referral Service, Cellma ensures that patient data moves with them across services, without administrative delays or duplicated documentation. This level of interoperability allows healthcare professionals to coordinate care efficiently while enabling patients to stay connected to their care teams, even from home. Clinical and technical depth: Cellma’s virtual care capabilities. Virtual care goes far beyond video calls. It requires a clinically rich, operationally flexible ecosystem that supports real-time monitoring, accurate documentation, patient engagement, and coordinated decision-making. Cellma provides purpose-built virtual care solutions through an integrated suite of tools, each designed to support different aspects of remote care delivery. Core Digital Solutions Within the Cellma Ecosystem CellmaEHR – A unified electronic health record accessible across hospitals, community services, virtual wards, and home-care programmes. CellmaPatientPortal – Gives patients access to their records, participatory video consultations, scheduling appointments, test results, and secure clinician communications. CellmaConnect – A referral management solution enabling efficient care coordination and virtual care delivery within the Cellma ecosystem. CellmaAnalytics – Dashboards enabling real time tracking of virtual ward capacity, waiting times, monitoring trends, patient outcomes and system performance. CellmaPMS – Enables scheduling, virtual appointments and tracking to coordinate care. CellmaPharmacy – Enables e-prescribing and medication tracking, links to pharmacy services for remote care and community pharmacy services. Key Features Driving Effective Virtual Care Secure Video Consultations: CQC-compliant, EHR-integrated, with safeguarding and consent workflows. Remote Patient Monitoring: Real-time parameter tracking with alerts for diabetes, COPD, heart failure, and more. Digital Triage: Patient-led symptom updates and pre-visit assessments. Virtual Wards Dashboards: Implementing NHS England’s models for remote hospital-level care. Group Sessions: For mental health, physiotherapy, antenatal care, family assessments, and lifestyle programmes. Instant Access for Patients: No app downloads, patients simply click a link. All features are developed to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, redundant documentation, and to facilitate safe and consistent, quality care delivery through both virtual and in-person pathways. Security, Data Protection and Assurance Virtual care naturally comes with a heightened level of security. Cellma takes the stress out of security, embedding robust controls over every digital contact point, ensuring that data is secured, tracked, and compliant. Key Security Functionalities – AES-256 encryption (data at rest) TLS 1.3 encryption (data in transit) Role-based access control MFA and NHS smartcard authentication Immutable audit logs Tested disaster recovery that aligns with health care SLAs. Cellma is compliant with the DSP Toolkit, Cyber Essentials Plus, GDPR, ISO 27001, and Risk Ledger Assessment requirements. All ensuring that every virtual consultation, record update and monitoring action is safeguarded at the highest global standard. Why Cellma is the Future of Virtual Care Delivery As virtual care becomes a core component in the transformation of health and care systems, vacancy must be replaced by flexibility, clinical intelligence and end-to-end interoperability. Cellma offers: A comprehensive digital ecosystem with all decisions made internally Real-time patient monitoring and communication Seamless integration with NHS systems Global scalability and interoperability Unified patient records across all care settings A seamless experience for patients and clinicians Improvements that can be evidenced and measured With Cellma, providers are delivering: 22% fewer waits for outpatient appointments 12% fewer visits to A&E 15% readmission to hospitals 40% better access to care for remote communities 100% improvement in patient experience These impact measures illustrate how connected virtual care is relieving pressure on hospitals whilst improving patient experience and clinical efficiency. Virtual Care Benefits Beyond Technology Virtual care is not just about improving access; it is about transforming