Have you ever felt like everyone around you is sick? While riding the bus to work today, I noticed the people standing in front of me were coughing and sneezing all over the place. I kept my head down trying to avoid their germs, but it seemed like almost every person on the bus was taking turns sneezing and coughing. I thought “Jeez, there’s no way I can avoid getting sick now”. Then I remembered that I got the flu shot, I had hand sanitizer in my bag, and I could wash my hands when I got to work. Phew!

Do you know that people with the flu can infect others the day before they even have symptoms? Once infected, a person can pass the virus on to others for another 5-7 days. Try not to worry too much, because you can take some steps to keep yourself healthy.

You should:

• Get the flu shot every year
• Carry hand sanitizer in your bag so you can clean your hands at school/work or throughout the day
• Avoid sharing things such as cups, silverware, water bottles, and chapstick with others
• Wash your hands before preparing food, after blowing your nose, and before and after eating.

Simple, right? The first step is to get your flu shot! If you haven’t had your flu shot yet, what are you waiting for? Call your primary care provider to schedule an appointment or find out about free flu clinics in your community. Just do it! Even though the flu shot won’t protect everyone from getting the flu, it gives you a greater chance of staying healthy (or at least, having only a mild case of the flu). It also makes you less likely to pass the flu virus to others.

-Nurse Kelly