FluView
This is the official app from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The app allows you to explore flu activity in communities across the United States, view the latest flu trends and get access to local surveillance information in your community.
According to the CDC, FluView allows you access to data from the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet). It provides you with information about flu activity "based on the percent of outpatient visits in a jurisdiction due to [influenza-like illness (ILI)] compared to the average percent of ILI visits that occur during weeks with little or no influenza virus circulation." It draws on a network of more than 3,000 health care providers across the U.S.
For more information, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/overview.htm#Outpatient
CDC Email Newsletters
Don’t have a smartphone? The CDC offers a free email subscription service, which allows you to receive free alerts by email when new information about the flu is available. By creating your subscription profile, you get updated information about the items of interest to you (whether it’s the flu or other outbreaks), and you’ll have them sent to you automatically as new information becomes available, without having to return to the website and check for changes. To subscribe, visit http://service.govdelivery.com/service/multi_subscribe.html?code=USCDC
WebMD
This app can be helpful whether it’s flu season or not, and you’re looking for a temporary diagnosis for whatever is ailing you. WebMD’s symptom checker can help you find out what’s wrong.
To use, tap the mannequin to highlight the body parts that are troubling you most and learn about what could be causing your symptoms. You can then use the app’s location tracking to find a local physician or hospital if you feel that you need to get your symptoms checked. Further, you can keep track of your medications using a free WebMD account.
WebMD is available on iTunes and Google Play.
Reader’s Digest Easy Home Remedies
Looking for the best home remedies to bust your flu or ease your aches and pains? Reader’s Digest Easy Home Remedies gives you a list of Grandma’s best-kept secrets with old-fashioned home remedies from A to Z. Beyond the flu, this app has remedies to treat and/or cure 74 injuries and illnesses, from acne to arthritis, but cold and flu cures are comprehensive, with techniques that range from steam therapy to spritzing your throat with pepper spray.
This free app is available on iTunes.
Help, I Have the Flu
This Facebook app gives you chance to scout out your Facebook contacts and see who may have made you sick, scouring your friends’ posts and messages for keywords that may signal that they are ill as well -- ranging from “flu” to “coughing.” If you aren’t sick yet, this app can give you a heads up about who may be contagious and who to stay away from so that you can avoid a bout of flu.
Likewise, the app will warn you if one of your friends has been posting content that would make him or her more susceptible to flu, including stress at work or not sleeping well, giving you the option to message this person and warn him or her to stay away if you are ill.
Flu Near You
Flu Near You is a free online program that’s run by Healthmap of Boston Children’s Hospital in partnership with the American Public Health Association and the Skoll Global Threats Fund. According to the app’s information, users register and complete surveys to help everyone learn more about the flu, and then are able to learn where and how many flu cases have been reported in the United States based on user-contributed data. You can enter your zip code to find out where you can get vaccinated and use the links to public health sites to learn more about tracking the flu. You can check out this program at https://flunearyou.org.
Flu Defender
The Flu Defender app by Pocket Professions offers users a comprehensive guide to “everything you need to know about the flu.” Not only does it give users a generalized overview and understanding of flu facts, but it also provides information that is customized to their specific locations. Among the app’s features, you can learn how to avoid the flu, find out where you can get a local flu vaccine, track recent flu activity in your area, and help identify the source of any symptoms you may develop.
This app also integrates real-time messages from the CDC’s flu feed on Twitter, keeping you up to date on the latest flu information and statistics. This app is available free on iTunes.
Flu.gov
This website, run by the United States government, is dedicated to a wide assortment of influenza knowledge. On the site, you’ll find a range of information, from symptoms and treatment to prevention and vaccination, high-risk demographics and more. You can learn about flu planning at a federal, state, community and school level for flu preparedness and outbreaks, and get insight on how to care for a loved one who has come down with flu symptoms safely.
There are also special sections dedicated to educational material about children and infants, pregnant women, and caring for seniors. The website has a flu vaccine finder, Twitter account with information about the flu and current outbreaks, helpful information for travelers, and a list of partner websites that offer their own insight into current flu activity in the United States and abroad.
ZocDoc
Once you’ve started getting the sniffles, you’ll want to consider downloading ZocDoc, especially if you live in a major city. The app features a doctor-finding service that lets you book an appointment right through your smartphone in three simple steps. Enter your zip code and health insurance carrier, and the app finds a list of doctors and their available times.
This app is available for free on iTunes and Google Play.