Prevention

The most effective way to prevent the flu is by getting both a seasonal flu vaccine and a H1N1 vaccine. Aside from vaccines, however, there are still ways to prevent the spread of the flu and other airborne viruses.

• Avoid contact with those who appear to have flu-like symptoms. Maintain at least six feet distance from friends or family members who are sick and avoid close contact with unfamiliar people.
• Wash your hands often. Scrub for twenty seconds with soap and warm water.
• Cough and sneeze into your sleeve, not into your hands. Or cough into a tissue, throw it away, and wash your hands. The flu spreads when infected people cough or sneeze and then pass those germs onto others.
• Plan a strategy for your home or workplace. Disinfect common surfaces such as doorknobs and tabletops often.