What are the symptoms of flu?

Flu causes inflammation of the mucous membranes in the respiratory system (nose, mouth and airways). It can make a person feel ill. Flu often starts suddenly with symptoms like: 

• cold chills
• nasal cold 
• headache 
• muscle pain  
• tiredness 
• sore throat  
• dry cough 
• fever (sometimes high fever) 

The fever can reach 39°C or higher within 12 hours and usually lasts for 3 to 5 days.
Not everyone who has a flu virus infection will also become ill.  

Who can become very ill from flu? 

Some people have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu virus. They may have severe shortness of breath or develop pneumonia. This is especially applicable to people aged 60 years and older and for people who have a chronic illness. People with heart or lung disease may be more affected by the symptoms of those health conditions if they have flu. 

How does flu spread? 

Flu viruses are found in droplets of snot, mucus and saliva. The viruses spread through talking, coughing or sneezing. If other people inhale the droplets, they could become infected. People can also get the virus through hand contact and from physical objects. The time between exposure and illness is usually 3 to 4 days.  

A person with flu is contagious within one day after they have the first symptoms. They can continue to pass on the virus for 5 to 7 days after the symptoms start. 

There are various types of influenza viruses. These viruses are constantly changing. As a result, a person can get the flu more than once. Some people have a higher risk of getting flu. This applies especially to people who live or work in close proximity to each other – like at a daycare centre, school or office, or in public transport. 

How can I prevent flu? 

A vaccination that protects against flu is available in the Netherlands: the flu vaccine. People who have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu can get a seasonal flu vaccine free of charge. This applies to people aged 60 years and older and people who have a chronic illness, such as diabetes, diseases that affect the heart, lungs or kidneys, or reduced immunity due to illness or medication. They will be invited to get the seasonal flu vaccine from the GP each year.  

Will you be in week 22 of your pregnancy between 15 October 2024 and 1 March 2025, but do not have a medical indication to get the seasonal flu vaccine through your GP? Then you can arrange an invitation for the free seasonal flu vaccine through your midwife.  

The flu vaccine offers protection against several different types of influenza virus. These are the variants expected to be  most common in this flu season. They can be different from one year to the next, so the vaccine is updated every year. And the flu vaccine does not offer permanent protection, so a new vaccination is needed every year. 

Sometimes a person who has been vaccinated against flu still gets an infection, but their symptoms will usually be less serious. 

If you develop symptoms that could indicate flu, follow the recommendations for respiratory infections. By doing so, you help ensure that fewer people will become ill.  

Is there any treatment for flu? 

Most people recover from flu without medication. It usually takes 1 to 3 weeks to feel completely better.  

You can use nose spray and cough medicine to ease the flu symptoms. You can take paracetamol to help with the pain.  This may also lower the fever. But paracetamol will not help you get better faster.  

There are no medicines that cure flu. Very occasionally, a person with flu may be treated with virus inhibitors. This treatment is only for a small group of people who have a much higher risk of serious illness due to flu. Virus inhibitors ensure that they have fewer complications from the infection and are less likely to pass the virus to others. It may also slightly shorten the duration of the flu. Virus inhibitors are not used very often in the Netherlands. This is because frequent use significantly increases the risk that the virus will adapt in such a way that the medicines no longer work at all. That would mean that the virus has developed antimicrobial resistance. 

What should I do if I have flu? 

Flu usually goes away on its own in healthy people. To avoid infecting others, follow the recommendations for respiratory infections.  

Go to Thuisarts.nl (website only in Dutch) for more advice about flu and when to call your GP.  

How common is flu in the Netherlands? 

Flu occurs in the Netherlands every year, mostly in the winter months. This is referred to as seasonal flu. The number of flu cases varies every year.  

RIVM is monitoring flu trends in the Netherlands in various ways. This is called surveillance. For the national influenza surveillance programme, RIVM works closely with the NIVEL Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Erasmus MC and various laboratories in the Netherlands. RIVM tracks how many people have flu-like symptoms, and which influenza viruses are currently circulating. The current spread of flu in the Netherlands can be viewed on the facts and figures page.  

What is the difference between flu and the common cold?  

Flu (influenza) is caused by a different virus than the common cold. Some of the symptoms are also different. For some people, flu can also cause more severe symptoms than the common cold.