There’s nothing worse than the achy body, congestion, and overall ickiness of getting the flu. It’ll take you down for the count for as much as 2 weeks or more. It will affect your family time, personal time, and work schedule. Keep your family healthy and happy by preventing this horrible sickness.
How to Prevent the Flu: 7 Steps to Keep Your Family Healthy
Even just one person getting the flu this year may affect your family in ways you can’t afford. It’s also highly contagious, so if one gets it, the chances increase that others will get it as well. Keep your family healthy this flu season with the following 7 tips:
1) Get vaccinated
The single most important thing you can do to prevent the flu in your family is get everyone vaccinated. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccination each year before the active flu season begins. There are several different types of flu vaccination available and some may be better-suited for different people. This includes the standard flu shot, intradermal flu shot, high-dose flu shot, and nasal spray vaccine. Talk to your family physician to find out which type is best for you.
2) Cover all sneezes and coughs
Flu germs spread through droplets in the air from the nose and mouth and can spread up to 6 feet. As often as possible, use a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then wash your hands right away. If there are no tissues available in a given moment, sneeze or cough into the bend in your arm, then wash your arm. This keeps the germs out of the air and off of your hands as much as possible. Teach your children these habits as well.
3) Keep hands clean
Make it a habit to wash your hands often with soap and water. Wash before, during, and after you prepare food, before you eat, before and after caring for the sick or wounded, after using the toilet, and after any other activity when your hands may be exposed to dirt or germs. If no soap or water is available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content.
4) Avoid touching your face
Flu germs can live from 2 to 8 hours on hard surfaces. This is one of the easiest ways to pick up flu germs. For this reason, it’s important to keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth as much as possible.
5) Keep your house clean
It’s also extremely important to keep your house regularly cleaned and disinfected. Pay special attention to common germ hotspots such as floors, cutting boards, kitchen sponges, desks, sinks, and toilets.
6) Limit contact with the sick
Limiting close contact with with those who are sick with the flu is imperative to preventing the flu from spreading. However, you may need to care for a family member who has the flu while they are still contagious. Wash your hands often and avoid sharing items such as utensils, toys, towels, etc. with the sick.
7) Live healthy
One of the most important things you can do all year long is prepare your body with healthy living. Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. Drink plenty of water and keep your stress levels as low as possible. This will strengthen your body’s immune system and give you the best chance at avoiding the flu and other sicknesses and recovering quickly when you do get sick.
Flu Shot, Anyone?
You want to keep your family healthy and happy year-round. The flu poses a major threat to your family life, school, and work schedules each year. Use this guide on how to prevent the flu to keep your family healthy this flu season.
To learn more about keeping your family healthy in every season, Contact Us.
