Picture this - you're enjoying your sun-drenched summer holidays when bam! You're struck down by what distinctly feels like flu symptoms. You immediately question, "Can I be attacked by the flu demon in summer?" We hear you, and we're answering your summer health conundrum in sizzling EatKaleOrDieTrying style.

Sprouting up primarily in fall and winter, influenza or "the flu," as we affectionately call it, is not a common guilty party in summer. Dr. Geeta Sood, a viral whiz at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, tells us that our summer shenanigans mostly outdoors and the very nature of the flu virus makes it less likely to strike gold during this sun-soaked season. But hey, remember, "The flu doesn’t take a vacation," warns Dr. Sharon Nachman from Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in New York. Yes, folks, influenza could sneak up on you anytime, anywhere!

While you're decking yourselves in chic shades and sunblock, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report petty numbers like 0.6 percent flu positives in summer compared to highs of 14 percent in winter. If, by chance, the flu does hit you like a sneaky summer rain, symptoms are generally milder, closer to that tenacious common cold.

Confusing, right? Of course, it is, because the only sure-shot method for diagnosing flu is the flu test itself. Bless our retail pharmacies, urgent care centers, doctor’s offices, and community clinics for administering these lifesavers, all the while empowering our shared fight against the bug.

Treatment for flu, like accessorizing your summer outfit, depends on factors such as age, health, and existing conditions. For younger, healthier folks, opting for antivirals might be as appealing as wearing snow boots to the beach due to possible side effects. For older folks with chronic conditions, however, an antiviral might be as necessary as sunblock.

And don't you dare play dumb if your flu symptoms get severe. If you're wheezing like an old car, running a fever, or utterly breathless, call a healthcare provider pronto. After all, you wouldn't leave a broken air conditioner untended in summer, would you?

Now, don't you start fretting over flu duration! The CDC says with some TLC (and perhaps some delicious chicken soup), you'll bounce back in two weeks or less.

Expert advice to keep this bug at bay? Good ol' hand hygiene, working in well-ventilated areas, considering mask-wearing in crowded spaces, and getting hydrated. And just to keep the flu under wraps, armed with your annual flu shot at the call of fall will be your best bet.

So yes, summer flu is a rare but plausible jerk. Confide in a flu test if you're down with flu-like symptoms, stay topped up with fluids, and remember not to skip that nap under the beach parasol!