January 12, 2016

It’s the time of year for sniffling, sneezing and all that other stuff – flu season. The Centers for Disease Control is ready to help with a three-part action plan for prevention and treatment. Its website also has extensive resources, including posters, flyers, brochures, articles and more. There’s even a special section for schools.

1. Vaccinate

• CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.  While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine protects against the viruses that research suggests will be most common.
• Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.
• Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine, ideally by October.
• Vaccination of high risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness.
• People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease, and people 65 years and older.
• Vaccination also is important for health care workers and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from spreading flu to high risk people.
• Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu illness, but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for them should be vaccinated instead.

2. Stop germs

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu. The CDC has a handy cleaning guide for schools.

3. Antiviral Drugs

• If you get the flu, antiviral drugs can treat your illness.
• Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder).
• Antiviral drugs can shorten your illness and make it milder. They can also prevent serious flu complications, like pneumonia.
• It’s very important that antiviral drugs be used early to treat people who are very sick with the flu (like people in the hospital) and people who are sick with the flu and have a greater chance of getting serious flu complications, either because of their age or because they have a high risk medical condition. Other people also may be treated with antiviral drugs by their doctor. Most otherwise-healthy people who get the flu, however, do not need antiviral drugs.
• Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.

Source: cdc.gov/flu