WHO NEEDS A FLU SHOT?

  • People who are 50 years or older.

  • Women who will be pregnant during the flu season.  The flu shot may be received in any trimester.

  • People with long-term health problems such as heart conditions, respiratory illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, kidney failure, some blood diseases such as sickle cell anemia, lowered immunity due to either illness or medication, and children and teens (6 months to 18 years of age) that are on long-term aspirin therapy.

  • People with certain conditions that can cause breathing problems, such as neuromuscular disorders.

  • All children 6-23 months of age.

  • Close contacts of all of the above.

  • Out-of-home caretakers of infants 0-23 months of age.

    • If you fall into one of these categories, please call your physician and get your flu shot as soon as possible.  For those of us that do not qualify as 'high risk' and will be waiting, here are some tips to avoid getting spreading germs in the meantime:

    How Germs Spread

    The main way that illnesses like colds and flu are spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. This is called "droplet spread."

    This can happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air and are deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. Sometimes germs also can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches his or her own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands. We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks.

     

    How to Stop the Spread of Germs

    • Cover your mouth and nose

    • Clean your hands often

    • Remind your children to practice healthy habits, too

    Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing

    Cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

    		 Alcohol-Based Hand Wipes and Gel Sanitizers Work Too

    When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.*

    		 The "Happy Birthday" song helps keep your hands clean?

    Not exactly. Yet we recommend that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. That's about the same time it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice!

     

    GERMS & CHILDREN

    Remind children to practice healthy habits too, because germs spread, especially at school.

    The flu has caused high rates of absenteeism among students and staff in our country's 119,000 schools. Influenza is not the only respiratory infection of concern in schools -- nearly 22 million schools days are lost each year to the common cold alone. However, when children practice healthy habits, they miss fewer days of school.

    Approximately 1/5 of the U.S. population attends or works in schools. (U.S. Dept of Ed, 1999).

    Some viruses and bacteria can live from 20 minutes up to 2 hours or more on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. (Ansari, 1988; Scott and Bloomfield, 1989)

    Nearly 22 million school days are lost annually due to the common cold alone. (CDC, 1996) ??? Addressing the spread of germs in schools is essential to the health of our youth, our schools, and our nation.

    Students need to get plenty of sleep and physical activity, drink water, and eat good food to help them stay healthy in the winter and all year.

    *All information provided by Mission: Wellness. www.missionwellness.org