INFLUENZA INFORMATION

RESPIRATORY ETIQUETTE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE WINTER MONTHS

Flu season usually peaks during the months of January through March. Last year we saw cases of the INFLUENZA in Connecticut in late November

Many of us will not be able to get the Flu Vaccine this year due to a serious shortage in the United States.

Here are some tips to keep your health through the winter season whether you get the vaccine very late or not at all:

·     COVER YOUR MOUTH and NOSE WHEN COUGHING or SNEEZING.
Use disposable tissues and place them in the nearest waste receptacle

·     WASH HANDS BEFORE EATING and BEFORE TOUCHING YOUR FACE.

·     EAT A HEALTHY DIET WITH PLENTY OF VITAMIN C and PROTEINS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM.

THERE ARE SEVERAL EXCELLENT ANTIVIRAL MEDICATIONS THAT CAN BE USED TO DECREASE THE LENGTH OF THIS FLU ILLNESS AND THE SEVERITY OF IT and PROVIDE PROTECTION IF EXPOSED  TO IT AS LONG AS THE MEDICATIONS ARE TAKEN WITHIN THE FIRST 48 HOURS OF SYMPTOMS.

·       SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION WITH OUR HEALTH SERVICE or YOUR PHYSICIAN IF:

·       YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS CONSISTENT WITH FLU (the most common of symptoms):  HIGH FEVER, BODY ACHES and a HEADACHE

·        YOU HAD CONTACT WITH SOMEONE THAT IS A CONFIRMED CASE OF INFLUENZA.