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Prevention

Here are some ways to help you stay well and minimize your risk for cold or flu.

1. Get vaccinated. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu. The vaccine can protect you from getting sick or it can make your illness milder if you do get the virus.
2. Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands thoroughly — for as long as it takes to sing the ABCs — often throughout the day. Use soap and warm water, or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
3. Cover your cough. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, tuck your face into your sleeve. Be sure to wash your hands after you’ve coughed or sneezed into them, and throw away used tissues.
4. Keep your hands away from your face. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then rubs his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
5. Build your base. Having overall good nutrition and physical fitness will boost your immune system. Exercise regularly. Eat foods rich in Vitamin C such as oranges, tomatoes, and red peppers. Log a full night’s sleep.
6. Keep surfaces clean. To prevent the spread of flu viruses, it is important to keep surfaces at home and work clean. Wipe down phones, keyboards, and office machines at work with disinfectant wipes. At home, frequently clean kitchen counters, bathroom surfaces, and toys for children with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
7. Avoid contact with people who are sick. And, if you get the flu, stay home from work or school to keep others from becoming infected.
8. Be prepared. Have a ready supply of over-the-counter medicines, tissues, and other items in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so.

What to Do if You’re Sick

Check your symptoms. Call Personal Health Assistant 24/7 at 1-800-724-9122 to talk to a nurse about your symptoms. Generally, there are some easy ways to tell the difference between colds and the flu.

If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care.

Keep away from others. If you get sick with the flu, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, except to get medical care or other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)

Rest. Rest. Rest. If you get the flu, time and rest are your best bets for recovery. Rest, drink lots of water and clear fluids, and eat small, nutritious meals. Most people who get the flu recover completely in ten days to two weeks.

Take over-the-counter medications. Because the flu is caused by a virus, it cannot be treated with antibiotics. For adults, use of a fever-reducing medicine may help alleviate symptoms. But before administering any over-the-counter medication to your children, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Ask for help. If you are really knocked down by the flu, ask your doctor if flu antiviral drugs may be a treatment option. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid, or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. For healthy individuals, they can shorten the course of the flu considerably if taken early on. They are not a substitute for vaccination — a flu shot is the best way to avoid getting the flu.

People at high risk for complications from the flu should always consult their health care provider immediately if they develop symptoms of the flu.