Tips to Help You Avoid Catching the Flu
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It wouldn’t be improper to characterize the flu virus traveling the country as an epidemic. Dozens have died, and millions have been stricken, including children. There’s lots of confusing information out there about how to protect yourself from this potentially fatal illness, with flu shots being the most obvious, but if you’re too stubborn to get the shot here are some tips on fighting off the flu:
A lot of people have the flu right now. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), 29 states are currently experiencing high levels of influenza infection, mostly in the eastern half of the country. More than 2,250 people had been hospitalized as of Dec. 29, the most recent date for which the CDC has data. Boston mayor Thomas Menino, amid a sickness rate that’s 10 times higher than last year’s, has officially declared a public health emergency.
Chances are there’s a flu-carrying sniffler somewhere in your general vicinity right now: in the elevator, across the boardroom table, or—if you take public transportation to work every day—gripping the same subway railings as you with their snotty hands. How can healthy workers successfully stay healthy in during this unusually treacherous flu season?
The easiest way to avoid catching the flu is, of course, with a flu shot. (Do you really need me to tell you this?) There are three types of the virus—Influenza A, B, and C, which mutate independently of one another—and a new vaccine is created every year to guard against that season’s most virulent strands. Health officials recommend that people get vaccinated in the fall so they’re protected all winter, but if the severity of this year’s flu worries you, the FDA says not to fear: There’s still time to get a flu vaccine. Because the flu is constantly changing, the expected success rate of the vaccine is 60 percent to 70 percent any given year.
If you already have the vaccine or for some reason (health problems, procrastination, fear of needles) neglect to get it, there’s little else you can do except wash your hands regularly and hope for the best. The CDC recommends avoiding close contact with people, so if you work in an office, embrace your social anxiety issues and shut the door.
Unfortunately, people who work in so-called open floor plans are out of luck. Not to mention the flight attendants, teachers, retailers, and other professionals who’re forced to interact with the public every day. “It’s so hard to take a day off, what with the substitute plans and playing catch-up when you’re back that most teachers just power through it and come to work feeling terrible,” says Jennifer Orr, a first-grade teacher in Virginia. Orr’s been teaching for 15 years and says there’s no way to avoid catching her students’ colds, especially during flu season. “I carry a hand sanitizer in my pocket at all times just in case I get sneezed on,” she says. “That’s about all I can do.”
By Claire Suddath, staff writer for Bloomberg Businessweek.
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I had my flu shot like I’ve been doing every year for 10 yrs or more. Luckily, I haven’t had the flu. Better safe than sorry I say. The other side of the coin is, my brother had a flu shot a few years ago and got infection in his arm, and went through hell. He had a nurse of some kind have to come over on a regular basis to help him. That scared me for awhile until my doctor told me that the needle may not have been sterilized properly or some other fluke thing. What are we to do? I’m 64, and as an old timer I need to protect myself as much as I can since I have other health issues. Being scientifically inclined I do believe I’ll keep taking THE SHOT. No, I don’t mean using my BB gun either, since that’s the only gun I have. Does my hockey stick count as a weapon to help fight the flu bug? EH!?
I haven’t had the flu even once since I stopped taking the shots. I know not what course others may take, but I’ll never have another one under any circumstances. Yes, I know the pharmaceutical companies make big money on them. That cannot be the only reason for giving them because they are often free. NO matter, none for me, thank you.
The CDC influenza divisions director was interviewed today about this flu epidemic. He said the vaccines have about a 60% efficacy rate and the vaccine they are using this year is the one for this strain. He had no time for the crazies that were calling in and asking if the shot is more dangerous than the virus, but he was patient and kind, and said, in a diplomatic way: that’s silly.
I work in a health care system and agree with getting the flu shot.
The flu season has ramped back up and we have seen an increase in cases since New Year Day.
Some people report getting the flu after a shot. There are a few possible answers to that: the flue caught was not the type covered by the vaccine that year; the flu was stronger than covered by that shot; the person’s immune system was compromised by something else and they COULD get the flu from the shot, but most likely only if it was a live flu vaccine (those are rarely given any more)…or, the person got a bacterial or viral infection that was really bad and felt like the flu but was not.
I had a flu shot about 15 years ago. Sure enough, I caught the flu withing two weeks. I have never had another one since then. Nor have I had the flu, either.
That makes sense, since it takes two weeks before the shot is effective.
I also have not had the flu in the 15 years since then. They apparently “forgot” to mention about the 2 week period.
I just heard the flu was winding down in some parts of the country.