Friday, January 17, 2014

Flu widespread in Indiana

Flu season is well underway in Indiana.  Nationally, the CDC is watching this flu season very closely because the main strain is H1N1 (swine flu)...the same virus responsible for the flu pandemic in 2009.

Widespread flu activity was reported in 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. You can track the activity on the CDC "Influenza-Like Illness" tracker located on their website.

People with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away.  Most experts think that flu viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze and talk. 


 
From the CDC: To avoid this, people should stay away from sick people and stay home if sick. It also is important to wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick should not be shared without washing thoroughly first. Eating utensils can be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap and do not need to be cleaned separately.

If you didn't get a vaccine, anti-viral medications can be of some help, but are often recommended only if (a) you're very sick and (b) have some type of complicating underlying health condition (asthma, heart disease, etc)



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