I told everyone I kept contracting different strains of the flu."

But not all antiviral medicines work against all strains of the flu.

"It protects against the same strains of the flu as the one here is and it seems to be the same," she said.

The flu is caused by influenza viruses A and B. There are different strains of the flu virus every year.

Nationally, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, which monitors and identifies strains of the flu, said this year does not appear to be particularly bad for influenza.

One study showed that women who thought positively were more likely to carry more antibodies against certain strains of the flu, thus having a stronger immune system than those who were told to think negative thoughts.

Although the government is creating a $4 billion stockpile of the vaccine Tamiflu, it is useful only when taken within the first 48 hours, and Tamiflu-resistant strains of the flu have already been found in Vietnam and in Egypt.