Shoo flu, don’t bother me!

Three steps to keeping the flu bug at bay

As many as one-fifth of the population contracts the flu each year. Of those, more than 200,000 are hospitalized with complications and about 36,000 people die. Fortunately, there are preventive measures you can take to protect yourself from infection.

Get the flu shot

The best way to avoid the flu is to get immunized. The flu shot is available to individuals six months old and older. It is strongly recommended for people who are at risk of having serious flu complications or who live with or work around those at high risk.

The flu shot takes about two weeks to become effective. Because the timing and duration of flu seasons vary, usually peaking in December and January, consider getting your shot in September or October. That way, you’ll have time to build up adequate immunities before you are exposed to the virus.

You’ll want to get the flu shot every year since the strain of influenza virus changes each year. Scientists perform international surveillance to estimate which types and strains of viruses will circulate that year. They then create a vaccine that is aimed to protect you against that specific version of the virus.

Talk with your doctor or visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to learn more about the vaccine. But definitely consider it. People who have contracted the virus are contagious one full day before they begin showing symptoms and up to five days after becoming sick. That means you may be exposed to the flu without knowing it. Additionally, if you do become sick, your illness will be shorter and your symptoms lighter if you’ve had the vaccine.

Be a germ-stopper

You likely learned good hygiene in elementary school. Those habits can become invaluable for stopping the flu virus cold.

• Keep your distance. If you know you are sick, stay home from work, school and errands if at all possible. If you believe someone has the flu, avoid close contact with them.
• Wash your hands frequently. While the length of time virus germs can survive outside the body varies, their lifespan ranges anywhere from a few seconds to 48 hours. Keeping your hands clean by washing them frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer is the best way to prevent infection.
• Cover your cough. The flu virus spreads mainly through the coughing or sneezing of people infected with the virus. By covering your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, you can help keep the spread of the virus to a minimum.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. When people who have the flu touch a door knob or grocery cart, the flu virus remains on that object. You can become infected by touching a contaminated object and then touching your mouth or nose.

Practice good health habits

You can keep your immunities at their peak by watching your overall health. Get plenty of rest, eat your fruits and veggies and drink plenty of fluids. Stress can lower your immunities, so be sure to practice good stress management, such as exercise and prayer. And don’t forget your daily multivitamin.

Avoiding the flu can seem as easy as avoiding heat stroke in the desert. But with a little care, you can fly fearlessly through flu season.

GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention welcomes the opportunity to share this general information. However, this article is not intended to be relied upon as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.