Red Cross Offers Flu Prevention Tips

Flu season is here, and more and more people across the country are getting sick. The American Red Cross offers several tips to help prevent the spread of the flu.

Friday, January 10th 2014, 12:30 pm

By: News 9


Flu season is here, and more and more people across the country are getting sick. The American Red Cross offers several tips to help prevent the spread of the flu.

The most important step someone can take is to get a flu vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older.

Here are some other steps you can take to help prevent the spread of the flu virus:

1. Stay home if sick.

2. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

3. Cover the nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing, and throw the tissue away after use. If that's not possible, cough or sneeze into the elbow, not the hands. People with the flu can spread it to others about six feet away through coughs and sneezes.

4. Wash hands often, especially after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand-rub.

5. Avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth.

"If someone has the flu, they should avoid contact with others as much as possible," said regional spokesperson Ken Garcia. "Everyone should also disinfect surfaces used commonly such as door knobs, switches, phones, computers and remote controls."

Five people died from the flu in Oklahoma between January 1 and January 7, 2014, according to numbers released Thursday by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Those five deaths occurred in Kay, LeFlore, Osage, Pittsburg and Tulsa counties.

1/9/2014 Related Story: Five Flu-Related Deaths In Oklahoma In The Last Week

According to Red Cross officials, the CDC report for the week of December 29 to January 4 shows 35 states are seeing widespread flu activity, up from 25 a week earlier. These states include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Most other regions are also reporting a number of residents sick with influenza.

The common signs of influenza are high fever, severe body aches, headache, being extremely tired, sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose, and vomiting and/or diarrhea (more common in children.)

Consult your health-care provider if you think you have the flu. And you should seek medical care immediately if you develop any of the following symptoms:

• Fast breathing, trouble breathing or bluish skin color.

• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen (adults).

• Confusion or sudden dizziness.

• Not drinking enough fluids, not being able to eat, or severe or persistent vomiting.

• Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough.

• Children - not waking up, being so irritable that the child does not want to be held or not interacting. Fever with a rash. No tears when crying or significantly fewer wet diapers than normal.

Learn more about influenza and how to help stop the spread of the flu virus.

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