A crisp chill in the air has signaled the arrival of autumn. Brightly colored leaves covering the ground, Friday night football crowds, lawns and porches speckled with orange pumpkins, and the sight of children tugging on their parents’ jackets every time they pass a candy display in the grocery store.
But with the excitement of the changing seasons comes the unfriendly onset of the flu. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the annual influenza season in the U.S. results in over $1 billion in direct medical costs and affects anywhere from five to 20 percent of the population. There is no way to stop the flu season from quickly approaching, but there are ways of decreasing your family’s chances of getting the flu. These easy and low-cost steps from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can stop many infectious diseases:
Know the seasonal flu activity in your area. Weather.com in conjunction with The Weather Channel and the CDC offers weekly reports on influenza activity across the U.S. and in Virginia. The flu season in the U.S. is usually from November to April, and the season "peaks" around late December to early March. You may access the weekly updates by going to www.weather.com.
Get immunized. Annual vaccinations, using the correct strain, can be an effective method of preventing the flu. The "flu shot" contains a benign virus and is inserted using a needle, usually through the arm. There is also a nasal-spray flu vaccine available for healthy persons aged 5-49 years. The viruses used in the vaccination are based on international health observations and scientists’ predictions on which virus strains will circulate during a particular flu season. Because the strains of viruses change each year, everyone must be re-vaccinated each year.
Flu shots are usually offered beginning in September, so check with your health provider about availability. It takes about two weeks for the immunization to start working, so getting your immunization early increases its effectiveness. The flu shot will not guarantee you won’t get the flu, but it does greatly reduce your chances. To find a flu clinic near you, the American Lung Association features a Flu Clinic Locator on their website at www.flucliniclocater.org. The website also allows you to sign up for email updates on flu activity.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid sharing food, cell phones or any other object that comes in frequent contact with your hands or mouth. Simple steps such as these will help you avoid passing along unwanted germs.
Clean your hands often. Although this may seem obvious, many do not know that the CDC recommends you should wash your hands for at least 30 seconds with warm water and soap. Germs are more often spread by hands rather than airborne transmission. You should wash your hands after touching things like money, which may be contaminated. Keeping alcohol-based hand sanitizers on your desk and in your car allows you to keep your hands clean when you are not near a sink.
Regularly clean and sanitize high-traffic areas. Some viruses and bacteria can live up to two hours on places such as countertops, desks, and doorknobs. Regularly disinfecting these areas will greatly decrease your chances of catching the flu.
Practice other good health habits. Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and eating right will ensure that your body is operating at its strongest level to fight off the flu.
By following these simple precautions, you will build your protection against the quickly and inevitably approaching flu season and greatly decrease your chances of spending a week in bed with the flu. As the case with many health issues, taking a proactive approach towards prevention will help you to better protect yourself and your family. For more information on how you can protect yourself from the flu, visit www.cdc.gov.