January 14, 2014

The Flu Epidemic is on the Rise

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this year’s flu outbreak has reached epidemic status, with 7.3% of deaths last week caused by pneumonia and the flu. Boston has declared a public health emergency, with cases of the flu being 10 times higher than last year during flu season. Only one out of the 10 U.S. regions – California and the Southwest – reported “normal” flu outbreaks.

This year’s flu season began early and spread quickly, overwhelming doctor’s offices and emergency rooms all over the country. Patients with severe flu symptoms have been forced to wait through the night before even seeing a doctor, and the Lehigh Valley Hospital in Pennsylvania has resorted to setting up a tent for those with less severe symptoms. Twenty children have died from the flu this year so far.

Combating Cold and Flu Viruses with Green Tea, NAC by Jerry Hickey, R. Ph

The CDC concluded that this year’s flu vaccine is only 62% effective – that means about four in 10 people who received the vaccine will get the flu anyway if they’re exposed to the virus, which is highly likely considering the amount of people falling ill right now. Doctors recommend getting the vaccine anyway, even now.

How Can You Avoid the Flu?

Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent the flu, or at least reduce life-threatening symptoms and pneumonia. The CDC recommends these practices along with the flu vaccine to keep yourself and others healthy during flu season.

Keep your distance. Avoid close contact with anyone showing flu-like symptoms, and if you’re sick, STAY HOME!

Wash your hands. It’s important to be more vigilant about washing your hands during flu season. Wash your hands as much as possible with anti-bacterial soap, and keep hand sanitizer close by.

Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. This is the most common way the flu virus is spread – by touching a contaminated object and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Be conscious of this, and try your best to avoid doing it!

Keep a tab on mold growth in your HVAC units, as it can lead to degradation of your indoor air quality. For the same reason, you might want to get your AC or heater looked at by professionals available at HVAC firms like WireNut Home Services. If you are interested in contacting them, you could peek at their service page at thewirenut.com/services/air-conditioning-repair/ in order to avoid the seasonal allergies that may come with mold growth and other allergens.

Disinfect your home and workspace. Use antibacterial cleaning products to disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home and work, especially when someone close to you has the flu.

Boost your immune system. It’s more important than ever to maintain a healthy lifestyle this time of year. Get enough sleep, exercise, take vitamins, eat healthy and get plenty of fluids in your system.

It’s hard to stay 100% healthy this flu season with the virus running rampant all over the country. So, get vaccinated and follow these tips to fight the flu as best you can!