Top Six Health Habits for Preventing the Flu
1. Avoid close contact
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with others to protect them from getting sick too.
2. Stay home when you are sick
If possible, stay home from work, school, and social events. You will help prevent others from becoming ill.
3. Cover your mouth and nose
Use a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use your elbow if a tissue isn't handy. Dispose of the tissue appropriately.
4. Clean your hands frequently.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Rub your hands vigourously with soap for 15 seconds.
Alternately, use an alcohol-based gel to cleanse your hands.
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Influenza is highly contagious and is easily transmitted through contact with droplets from the nose and throat of an infected person during coughing and sneezing.
Germs are spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6. Practice good health habits.
Get plenty of sleep, exercise regularly, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritiously.
Don’t share drinking straws, eating utensils, towels, etc.
