How to Battle the Flu

We have all seen the news. The H1N1 is here. The nasal spray vaccines are starting to arrive. Let's battle the flu to make it through the season. As part of the battle, seasonal Flu shots are available at all Tarrant County Public Health Centers, almost all of the drug stores and your doctor's office in most cases. Check for availability in your area of the country.

Dr. Sandra Parker, Tarrant County Public Health Director, states "Getting a seasonal flu shot is the best way to guard against seasonal flu. Each year seasonal flu kills an estimated 36,000 people in the United States and hospitalizes more than 200,000."

Here's some tips for waging the flu battle:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• seasonal flu shot
• tissues, packets or box
• awareness

1. 
    
   GET A FLU SHOT

   Get vaccinated at a location of your choosing. Call your Public Health Center closest to your home. Check out the Tarrant County Public Health Web site at http://health.tarrantcouty.com or call 817-531-6738 and ask where the closest Center is to your home.

2. 
    
   WASH HANDS OFTEN

   Keep your hands clean. Wash often to protect you from germs. Sing "Happy Birthday to Me song twice to get a good scrubbing.

3. 
    
   USE TISSUES AND THROW AWAY

   Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose or mouth. When you touch anything like a doorknob or desk, you run the risk of spreading germs to yourself. You never know if they are contaminated

4. 
    
   IF YOU HAVE TO GET OUT, WEAR A MASK

   Avoid getting close to people, especially strangers. Keep your distance from others so you don't contaminate them too.

5. 
    
   STAY HOME IF SICK

   When you get sick, stay home. Take that sick day. Don't run errands, stay at home away from work and school. If you can.

6. 
    
   COUGH INTO YOUR ARM OR TISSUE

   Cover your cough and sneeze. Keep a pack of tissue with you or nearby. Your sneeze exits at a force of about 600 mph! It can travel far! Through tissues away, don't leave them around.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy several pocket pack tissues.
• Sneeze into your arm.
• Don't get too close to anyone if you are sick.
• Be sure and go to doctor at first sign of flu symptoms.

[heleje]

on 10/15/2009 Nice tips and great pics!

[starrm]

on 10/12/2009 Good tips on how to battle the flu. 5*

[redar]

on 10/10/2009 Excellent 5 * article, I went to my doc this week to get my shot and they were out of the vaccine. They don't know when they will get more???