Stop The Flu

Influenza (commonly called the “flu”) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. On the average, more than 200, 000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from seasonal flu complications.

Flu-like symptoms include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, diarrhea and vomiting (more common among children than adults).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you to take 3 action steps to protect against the flu.

#1 Take time to get vaccinated

The CDC recommends flu vaccination each year. Two kinds of flu vaccine are available, the flu shot (approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease) and the nasal-spray flu vaccine (approved for use in healthy people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant).

Yearly flu vaccination should begin in September or as soon as vaccine is available and continue throughout the influenza season, into December, January, and beyond.

#2 Take everyday preventive actions

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, except to get medical care or for other necessities. Of course, if you are sick, limit your contact with others to keep from infecting them.

#3 Take flu antiviral drugs if recommended

If you get seasonal or novel H1N1 flu, antiviral drugs can treat the flu. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines that keep flu viruses from reproducing in your body. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started within the first 2 days of symptoms.

Adapted from www.cdc.gov.