How to Stay Healthy This Flu Season

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Seasonal or common flu is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted from person to person. Beside a flu vaccination, here are other steps you and your family can take to stay healthy this winter.

The simplest and a very effective way is to wash your hands often with soap and warm water. Rub your hands vigorously together and scrub all surfaces. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. (Tip: Have your children sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice while washing.)

The soap combined with the scrubbing action helps dislodge and remove germs. Use regular soap. An antibacterial soap is not necessary. Antibacterial soaps may actually contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance germs.

When soap and water are not available, you could use an alcohol-based disposable hand wipe or a gel sanitizer. These are available in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using a gel, rub the gel in your hands until they are dry. The gel doesn't need water to work. The alcohol in the gel kills germs that cause colds and the flu. Unfortunately, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers do not remove dirt.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when people touch something that is contaminated with germs and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs can live for a long time. Some germs can live for 2 hours or more on surfaces like doorknobs, desks and tables.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs cause illnesses like the flu (influenza). The flu usually spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The droplets from the cough or sneeze move through the air and are deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. So, always cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away. Cover your cough or sneeze with your hands or arm if you do not have a tissue. Then, wash your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

If you feel ill, stay home from work and keep sick children home from school or daycare. Keep in mind, most people with flu will recover just fine.
 

Other Links

• State of Minnesota Pandemic Planning
• Department of Health & Human Services Pandemic Influenza Plan
• Department of Education Pandemic Planning