Cold & Flu
As the weather cools and people spend more time indoors, cold and flu viruses become more common.
Cold and flu season can affect people of all ages, bringing a range of uncomfortable symptoms that can make everyday activities more difficult.
Knowing how to look after yourself when illness strikes can help you recover more comfortably and reduce the risk of spreading germs to family, friends and colleagues.
Cold and flu viruses circulate throughout the year, but they tend to spread more easily during the colder months. People often spend more time in enclosed spaces where viruses can pass from person to person through coughing, sneezing and close contact.
Touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth can also contribute to the spread of infection.
Recognising the symptoms
A cold often starts with a sore throat, followed by a blocked or runny nose, sneezing and a cough. Symptoms are usually mild and develop gradually over several days.
Flu symptoms are often more intense and can appear quite suddenly. Fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, fatigue and a persistent cough are common signs that you may have the flu rather than a simple cold.
Regardless of which virus is causing your illness, the body's immune system needs time to fight the infection and begin the recovery process.
Looking after yourself
When you're feeling unwell, rest is one of the most important things you can do. Taking time to recover allows your body to focus its energy on fighting the infection.
Staying hydrated is equally important. Drinking plenty of water, warm drinks and clear fluids can help replace fluids lost through fever and support overall wellbeing.
Many people also find comfort in simple measures such as warm soups, honey in hot drinks, saline nasal sprays and throat lozenges. Managing symptoms with help from our pharmacy can make day-to-day activities more comfortable while your body heals.
Maxiclear Day and Night
Maxiclear Day and Night Tablets and Maxiclear Day and Night + Cough Tablets are designed to provide effective relief from a range of cold and flu symptoms.
The tablets are clearly marked for day time or night time use. The day tablets help manage symptoms such as pain, fever, blocked nose and congestion while helping you stay alert throughout the day. The night tablets are formulated to help you rest more comfortably overnight.
The + Cough range also includes dextromethorphan to help relieve cough symptoms, making it a useful option when dry coughs are disrupting sleep and daily activities. Our pharmacist’s advice is required for this product.
Maxigesic PE Triple Action
MAXIGESIC PE® provides triple action cold, flu and sinus relief.
It has is a world-first specific combination of paracetamol 500mg, ibuprofen 150mg and phenylephrine 2.5mg, developed right here in New Zealand.
MAXIGESIC PE® is designed to provide relief from the following symptoms:
Body aches & pains
Fever & inflammation
Headache & sore throat
Blocked & runny nose
Maxigesic Cold & Flu Hot Drink
These sachets are mixed with hot water to provide fast, effective double-action cold and flu relief in a lemon-flavoured drink.
Developed in New Zealand, Maxigesic® Cold & Flu Hot Drink is a unique, patented combination of paracetamol 500mg and ibuprofen 150mg that provides fast, effective double action relief from winter ills and chills, a wide range of pain symptoms, and also helps reduce inflammation and fever.
Codral Day & Night
Codral Cold & Flu tablets provide temporary relief from the symptoms of runny nose, nasal congestion, headache, body aches and pains and fever.
Codral contains paracetamol which works to stop the pain messages from getting through to the brain. It also acts to reduce fever. The Codral Day & Night formula contains tablets for night time use which will help you to sleep.
