Staying Well for 5/11/09

Prevent the Spread of Flu in the Home
By Genesee County Health Department Staff

When a family member gets sick with the flu (or any other contagious illness) there are things you can do to keep yourself and the rest of the family healthy, including:

• Keep the sick person away from other people as much as possible. If possible, the sick person should use a separate bathroom.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Everyone should wash their hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after coughing and/or sneezing. Use paper towels for drying hands after hand washing.
• If possible, try to ventilate shared household areas (e.g., keeping windows open in bathrooms, kitchen, bathroom, etc.).
• Monitor yourself and household members for flu symptoms and contact your health care provider if symptoms occur. Your health care provider will determine if testing and treatment is needed and may prescribe antiviral medication. For treating the flu, antiviral drugs work best if started within 1-2 days of symptoms.
• Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by the sick person. Wash your hands after touching items used by the sick person.
• Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
• Linens, eating utensils, and dishes used by the sick person should not be shared without washing them first.
• Everyone in the home should get the seasonal flu vaccine every year.

For information on this and other important health topics, contact the Genesee County Health Department at (810) 257-3612 or visit us on the web at www.gchd.us.