In addition to getting your annual flu vaccination, keeping good health habits helps in flu prevention. You can also take flu antiviral drugs to treat and prevent the flu. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) endorses the following guidelines to help avoid the spread of the flu virus.
Limit close interactions with people who are sick. When you are ill, maintain your distance from others to help protect them from getting ill too.
Stay home as much as possible from work, school, and household tasks when you are sick. This will keep others from catching the infection.
Cover your mouth and nose using a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It will help prevent people around you from becoming ill. The flu virus is spread mostly by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands.
Wash your hands properly using soap and hot water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently to stay safe from germs.
Prevent yourself from touching your face because germs are often spread when you rub your eyes, nose, or mouth, after touching contaminated objects.
Get frequently touched surfaces at home, work, or school cleaned and sanitized, particularly when someone is sick. Get enough sleep, remain physically active, control your stress level, drink sufficient fluids, and eat healthy foods.
Learn about strategies your child’s school, day care program, or college has in the event of an outbreak of flu or other diseases and whether or not flu vaccinations are provided on-site.
Confirm whether your child’s school, day care program, or college regularly cleans objects and surfaces that are touched often, and that they have enough supply of tissues, soap, paper towels, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and disposable wipes on-site.
Ask how sick pupils and staff are isolated from others and who will nurse them until they can go home.
Be aware of your employer’s policies for flu outbreak or other illnesses and whether or not flu vaccinations are accessible on-site.
Maintain routine cleanliness of frequently touched items and surfaces, such as doorknobs, keyboards, and phones, to help eliminate germs.
Ensure to have an adequate supply of tissues, soap, paper towels, alcohol-based hand rubs, and disposable wipes at your office.
Educate others about your job role so they can cover for you when you or a family member catch an illness and you have to stay at home.
If you start feeling ill while at work, leave for home as soon as possible.
Support the immune system in fighting off the flu infection by following the simple guidelines mentioned above. Contact us for more information about flu prevention and treatment.
