Flu advisory - what are your experiences?

Hi all,

With the onset of winter, bouts of cold/cough/fever have already started.  I am a bit concerned about the swine flu which is expected to revive in this period.  It will help to be prepared and know based on our experiences/feedback as to what symptoms are to be taken seriously.  For instance, for cold and cough, I generally wait for about 2 days before I go to a doctor, unless it is bad enough to disrupt regular activities.  I am also worried about taking the child to a crowded hospital thereby exposing the child, whose immunity is anyway down but not necessarily anthing more serious.  What do you all do in these circumstances?  Any suggestions/sharing appreciated.

Specifically, is 'fever' the one most distinguishing symptom of swine flu?  Which is a real red flag?

Cheers,
Sumo