WATERTOWN, Mass., Dec. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As we head into cold and flu season once again, Exergen Corporation, maker of the TemporalScanner thermometer, has created an educational video to help people understand how to tell if they have a cold or the flu. While cold and flu symptoms are typically the same – sore throat, runny nose, fatigue – only the flu is almost always accompanied by a fever.
“People can underestimate how serious the flu can be, particularly for the very young and older individuals,” says Francesco Pompei, Ph.D., CEO of Exergen Corporation. “We want to be sure that people understand the difference between a cold and the flu. To do that, you need a highly accurate thermometer like the Exergen TemporalScanner, which has more than 80 clinical studies behind it and tells you in just seconds if you have a fever.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza-like illness activity has been above national baseline for 3 weeks , with the southern states being hardest hit. CDC recommends getting a flu vaccination, stating that it is always the best way to prevent the flu and its potentially serious complications. From 2010 to 2018, the annual death rate from the flu has ranged from approximately 12,000 per year in 2011-2012 to 70,000 in 2017-2018.
While getting a flu vaccine is recommended, it is not 100% effective and is often less than 50% effective, so vigilance is important even if you have received a flu vaccine. CDC advises those with concerns to contact their physician before going to the ER or hospital. This may protect someone who doesn’t have the flu and prevent the spread from those who do. It is important to monitor symptoms on an ongoing basis. For information on what to do if cold and flu symptoms arise, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/treatment/takingcare.htm
The cold and flu video can be viewed by visiting www.exergen.com.
ABOUT EXERGEN CORPORATION
Exergen manufactures and markets two series of the TemporalScanner thermometer: a professional version for hospitals and clinics, and a consumer version sold in major retailers nationwide. More than two billion temperatures are taken each year with TemporalScanners. Used in thousands of hospitals and clinics across the country as well as in millions of homes, TemporalScanners are the #1 preference of pediatricians, #1 preference of nurses and #1 selling retail thermometer. The Exergen TemporalScanner's accuracy is supported by more than 80 peer-reviewed published studies covering all ages from preterm infants to geriatrics and all care areas from hospitals to homes. For additional information, visit www.exergen.com.