Dr. Andrea Shane, associate professor of Pediatric Infectious Disease and Global Health at Emory University of School of Medicine and medical director of Hospital Epidemiology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta provides her five key strategies for flu prevention:
1. Get a seasonal flu immunization now before flu season hits. Everyone six months of age and older needs a seasonal flu vaccine every year. It takes two weeks to develop protection, so it is important to be immunized before flu starts circulating in the community. Encourage everyone around you to receive a flu immunization. Encouraging immunization of everyone around you helps protect them and helps to protect you.
2. If you are sick, stay away from others. Flu is spread by droplets. Reducing opportunity for physical contact reduces opportunities for flu to be spread.
3. Wash your hands. Practice good hand hygiene – wash your hands with soap and water or a hand sanitizing product liberally – before and after eating, going to the bathroom, spending time in high traffic settings such as the mall or airport.
4. Cover your cough and sneezes with the inside of your elbow or a tissue that is then discarded. Sneezing into the inside of your elbow or a tissue reduces the chances those droplets (those tiny drops from a sick person) will fly out when you cough or sneeze and land on the mouths or noses of people nearby.
5. Take care of yourself. To help your immune system be in good enough shape to fight off the flu and other germs, eat a balanced diet, get plenty of sleep and exercise.
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