Start Now to Protect Yourself from the Flu

It's that time of year again!  Fever and chills and the flu!  Although nobody wants to think about getting it, being informed can help you prevent getting the flu this season.  Flu is a serious disease and each year in the United States, on average more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from complications of the flu.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is predicting an early and potentially severe flu season.  They are urging everyone to take precautionary measures to guard themselves and others from this serious disease.

The CDC recommends that the first step in protecting yourself against the seasonal flu is to get a yearly seasonal flu vaccine.  The yearly seasonal flu vaccine provides protection against the three most common seasonal flu viruses as predicted by research.  The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect you against the 2009 H1N1 flu; however, a new vaccine against this specific virus is currently being made.  Currently there are limited doses available of this vaccine and the CDC is recommending that certain high risk groups receive the shot first.  These high risk groups include pregnant women, young children, people with chronic health conditions and/or compromised immune systems, those 65 & older and direct health care workers. Ask your doctor if you should get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. See the link below for more information regarding the 2009 H1N1 vaccine and a list of high risk groups.

• Wash your hands OFTEN with warm soap and water.  If soap and water are not available, the next best thing is to use antibacterial hand cleansers with an alcohol base.
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes unless you absolutely have to (coughing and sneezing).  This is the fastest way to spread germs.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  Immediately throw the tissue away and wash your hands.
• Avoid contact with others who are sick.
• Be considerate and limit your contact with others while you are sick to avoid infecting them and further spreading the disease.
• If you are sick with the flu or flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends that you stay home for AT LEAST 24 hours after your fever has been gone (without the use of fever-reducing medications) except to get medical care.
• Follow your local public health offices advice regarding staying away from school and large crowds to prevent from further spreading the flu.
  

^{Picture above:  A microscopic view of the new strain of 2009 influenza H1N1 (swine flu) virus taken in the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Influenza Laboratory.  The little filaments or spikes protruding from the surface of each virus (hemagglutinin and aminidase antigens) give it the ability to penetrate and infect our lung cells and they make the virus deadly. Photo courtesy of the CDC.}

If you are unfortunate enough to get the seasonal flu or the 2009 H1N1 flu, there are antiviral drugs which can help treat the flu. A prescription from your doctor is needed to obtain these drugs which fight the flu virus by stopping it from reproducing in your body, hence making the time you are sick shorter and reducing the severity of your illness. These drugs are available in pill, liquid or inhaled powder form and work best if started within the first two days of the onset of flu like symptoms.

Flu like symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny OR stuffy nose, fever, body aches, headache, chills and also fatigue. Some could also have diarrhea and vomiting. You could also be infected with one of the flu viruses if you have respiratory symptoms without a fever.

This season priority usage for antiviral drugs is to treat people who are hospitalized with the flu or those who are at an increased risk for serious flu complications. The CDC reports that most people infected with the seasonal flu or the 2009 H1N1 virus have been able to recover at home without medical care. You can visit the link below to learn more about the H1N1 virus. The site covers important information such as information for high risk groups and what to do if you have the flu and how to care for someone in your home that has the flu.

© Anglfire693, 2009