An antiviral drug. Zanamivir (Relenza) is used to treat influenza virus A and B (flu) in people who have had symptoms such as weakness, headache, fever, cough, and sore throat for less than 2 days. Zanamivir cannot prevent flu, nor can it keep a person from spreading the virus to others, but it seems to decrease the duration and severity of the flu by 1 or 2 days. Zanamivir is breathed in through a special inhaler.
An antiviral drug which may lessen the symptoms of influenza. It is licensed in the United Kingdom for treating the A or B varieties within 48 hours after the onset of symptoms, but is most likely to be effective if given within only a few hours. It is not recommended for use in otherwise healthy people except in the event of a pandemic, but may be valuable in those with pre-existing serious heart or lung disease, who are immunosuppressed or diabetic. Another drug, oseltamivir, is recommended for post-exposure illness prevention in at-risk adults and adolescents over 13, soon after symptoms begin (although it is licensed for all those over 12 months old).