If you suspect you have the flu, stay home, drink plenty of fluids, and know the emergency signs.

Ill omen: With flu drugs failing, bed rest becomes a more important flu-fighter.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), the drug that’s supposed to stop influenza germs from spreading inside your body, and is used to cut the chances of getting the flu during an outbreak, is not working on certain types of influenza virus, according to a research that will be published later this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

THE DETAILS: Last flu season, researchers found an increased resistance to the drug for the first time in the United States. Early indications for this year suggest the trend is getting much worse. More than 98% of this year’s A(H1N1) influenza viruses tested so far are resistant to the drug. Last season, 12% showed signs of resistance.

WHAT IT MEANS: Your best line of defense is taking preventative measures to avoid coming down with the flu in the first place. But if you do catch it, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself so you won’t need meds that are increasingly ineffective.

Here’s what you need to know about influenza: