Scientists say that while aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen make the person taking them feel better by lowering their temperature, they may also make the bug easier to spread. As a result, more people will catch it. Rather than taking pills to lower their temperature, people with flu should stay at home, get plenty of rest and have some hearty soup.

This is based on the principle that the high temperature of a fever helps the immune system to fight the virus. Without it, the amount of the flu virus in coughs and sneezesincreases, making it easier for the bug to spread.

Lead researcher, David Earn, said: “When they have flu, people often take medication that reduces their fever. People often take – or give their kids – fever-reducing drugs so they can go to work or school. They may think the risk of infecting others is lower because the fever is lower. In fact, the opposite may be true: the ill people may give off more virus because fever has been reduced.”

temperature- testhőmérséklet, hőmérséklet
bug- bogár, itt: “baci”
to spread- terjeszteni
to catch an illness- elkapnibetegséget
rather than- inkább, mint
principle- elv
fever- láz
cough- köhögés
sneeze- tüsszentés
to increase- növekedni, növelni
medication- gyógyszer
fever-reducing– lázcsillapító
risk- veszély
opposite- éppellenkezőleg