The flu is much closer to you and your home than you may think. While most of the recommendations for prevention should be practiced throughout the year, it’s more important right now to follow these steps to prevent sickness for not only you and your family, but numerous others.
If you have small children, we understand that almost every area is a “high germ” area. However, it’s important to make sure that you are avoiding contact with individuals who are sick and areas they may frequent at all costs. In both your home and office, try to keep your common areas frequently disinfected, including doorknobs, countertops, phones, keyboards, and anything else multiple people may touch.
No, this doesn’t mean running cold water over them after leaving the bathroom. Rather, take a full 20-30 seconds and scrub your hands, including between your fingers and under your nails, with warm water and soap. If you do not have this readily available, keep a supply of alcohol based hand sanitizer around, but do not use this as a full time alternative.
If you haven’t already, make your way to Centerville Medical Center for a flu shot. While the vaccine is not a 100% guarantee, it is certainly the best option at this point in time. In fact, the CDC recommends everyone over 6 months be vaccinated each and every year. If the flu shot does not prevent you from getting sick, it will certainly help reduce the severity of the illness if contracted.
If your doctor prescribes you an antiviral drug, be sure to take this as directed. These are different than typical antibiotics and are used to directly treat the flu virus. Stopping treatments early, even if you feel drastically better, is never a good idea since this makes it incredibly likely for your virus to return.
It’s important to visit Dr. Osuagwu as early as possible if you feel that you may be coming down with the flu, or have come in contact with anyone that has had the flu. While there are many symptoms associated with the flu, some are mistaken for a common cold. This can lead to very serious illnesses – especially in those 65 or older, pregnant, or young children – and can result in hospitalization.
For more information on how to prevent the flu, or if you feel as though you may be at risk for the virus, contact our office today!
