5 Tips to Avoid the Flu
5 Tips to Avoid the Flu
Getting the flu is no walk in the park: your stomach hurts, your head throbs and it even hurts to sleep. So we hope that you are willing to do what it takes to avoid feeling this way!
We have put together our top five tips to avoid getting the flu this season.
Tip #1
Get your flu shot!
Ontario.ca lets us know that “the influenza vaccine effectiveness can vary from year to year. When the vaccine is well-matched to the flu strains circulating in a particular flu season, it can prevent the flu in up to 60% of the overall population.” The flu shot is known as one of the most effective ways to avoid getting the flu which is why it is our number one tip. The flu shot has also been known to reduce the number of doctor visits, hospitalizations and deaths related to influenza.[1]
It is especially important if you are at high-risk of getting the flu. Those with the highest risk of contracting the flu are: children aged 5 and younger, older adults and pregnant women.[2]
You could avoid the dreaded flu if you keep these facts in mind when the flu shot is available in November!
Tip #2
Avoid close contact.
This is a pretty obvious one. If someone tells you that they are sick, or you notice that they are sick, try to keep somewhat of a distance from them. Sometimes people are contagious without knowing that they are sick yet, so throughout flu season it may be a good idea to avoid close contact all together.
Vice versa, if you are sick make sure you tell people and try to stay home to keep others from getting sick too.
Tip #3
Wash your hands often.
The CDC recommends washing your hands often to avoid the flu. They even say that handwashing is like a “do-it-yourself” vaccine.[3] Lather with soap and water, and scrub for at least 20 seconds. If you are unable to get to a sink, then you can use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) to kill the germs as well.
Tip #4
Avoid touching your face.
It might not be something that we are always consciously thinking about, but we touch our faces often! During flu season, do your best to keep your hands off of your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread quickly if you are touch your face frequently.[4]
Starting right now, try to not touch your face for an hour. See how long that you can last! This will help give you awareness of how often you actually touch your face on a daily basis.
Tip #5
Disinfect and clean surfaces.
Did you know that viruses can live on surfaces like countertops, door handles, computer keyboards and phones for up to 8 hours?[5] Wow! Hopefully this statistic prompts you to wipe down surfaces frequently. Such as your office desk, kitchen counters and living room tables. Grab a disinfectant spray and keep it close by at work and at home.
Hopefully this list of tips will help you try to avoid the flu this season! Sometimes it is unavoidable, but if you do your best there are ways to stay healthy throughout the winter.
Apex Occupational Health and Wellness offers onsite flu clinics for employers to provide flu shots to their employees at their workplace. Contact us today at (519) 896-3330 or e-mail our flu clinic coordinator, Angie Wright, at awright@apexocc.com to get more details.
Sources:
[1] https://www.ontario.ca/page/flu-facts
[2] http://www.healthline.com/health/flu-risk-factors
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/
[4] https://www.cdc.gov/flu/consumer/prevention
[5] https://www.ontario.ca/page/flu-facts