Websites with more information on the flu:
We all need to be vigilant to help stop the spread of the flu (influenza). The flu shot alone will not prevent the flu.
Reduce the Risk of Spreading or Catching the Flu
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, before eating, etc.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Promptly dispose of the tissue.
- Keep your hands away from your face – especially eyes, nose and mouth.
- Stay home if you are ill. Avoid close contact with people who have medical conditions that would put them at high risk if they got the flu.
- Clean surfaces that are touched frequently, such as door knobs, water faucets, drinking fountains and telephones.
- Get plenty of rest, exercise and eat properly.
Contagious Period
The time from when a person is exposed to the flu virus to when symptoms begin is about one to four days, with an average of about two days. The period when an infected person is contagious depends on the age of the person.
- Adults may be contagious from one day prior to becoming sick and for three to seven days after they first develop symptoms.
- Some children may be contagious for longer than a week.
Treating the Flu
- Get plenty of rest
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Avoid using alcohol and tobacco
- Take medication to relieve the symptoms of flu (but never give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-life symptoms- without first speaking to your doctor)
In some cases, your doctor may choose to use certain antiviral drugs to treat the flu. (Influenza is caused by a virus, so antibiotics – like penicillin – don’t work to cure it.) Antiviral drugs do not cure the flu, but when started with the first two day of illness can reduce the severity and duration of the disease.
