Tips to Prevent Catching Any Type of Flu
Tips if You Catch Flu
Seasonal flu can be easily transmitted from person to person. Similarly, it’s thought that pandemic flu will be able to infect people just as easily.A phrase that was first used in the 1940s – ‘coughs and sneezes spread diseases’ – is still relevant today. Coughing and sneezing spreads millions of germs into the air which can then travel onto people and surfaces. From here, the virus can infect anyone that it comes into contact with.
Simple precautions that you can take to help combat any type of flu include (this advice is based on information provided on the Department of Health website).
- For seasonal flu, you can go to your GP to get a flu jab.
- Hygiene is very important. You can try to keep free of the virus by frequently washing your hands with soap and water.
- Frequently clean hard surfaces such as kitchen tops, door handles, desk tops etc.
- The flu virus is spread through the air when people cough or sneeze. You can stop the spread by coughing or sneezing into disposable tissues.
- Dispose used tissues quickly and carefully: put them into a bag and then into a bin.
- Avoid all non-essential travel.
- Staying at home and avoid crowds of people could help you avoid the flu virus. Similarly, car sharing to avoid public transport will cut down on the contact you have with other people who may be infected.
- Consider working from home. Any place where you mix with other people, for example an office or other workplace, can increase your chances of becoming infected with a flu virus.
Although these might seem like obvious messages, most people would be surprised to find that they fall short of recommended practice. As the pandemic virus will be as easily transmitted as seasonal flu, these measures can only reduce the risk of spreading the infection, rather than prevent transmission of the disease.
Tips if You Catch any Kind of Flu
There are a number of things you can do if you catch any type of flu. Some of these details are based on information appearing on the Department of Health website:- If you are ill, or you think you may be ill, stay at home.
- If your symptoms are getting worse, contact your doctor or the national Pandemic Flu action line (the number will be published on the Department of Health website.
- Alternatively, contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or watch out for information from the media.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Keep a small stock of general medicines (for example, paracetamol, Ibuprofen and/or codeine) to lower your temperature when you are ill. For children, have equivalent medicines specifically produced for them, such as Calpol.
- Keep a phone near your bed to contact friends and family.
- If you or someone you know is vulnerable and needs help, contact Social Care Direct on 0845 8505010 especially if you have no family or friends who can help out and are left alone when ill.
Anti Viral Drugs
The Department of Health is building up a stock of antiviral drugs which could help people if pandemic flu occurs. The anti-viral drug will not be a protection against pandemic flu as the virus causing the flu will be a new virus. But it may lessen the symptoms of the infection.
In County Durham, centres for distributing anti-viral drugs will be set up to administer the drugs in strategic locations across the County.
