HHS HealthBeat (October 26, 2010)

Don't give us the flu

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

If you get the flu, try to keep it to yourself. That’s easier said than done, of course. But there are ways to keep other people from picking up the infection.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Joe Bresee advises avoiding situations in which you can spread the germs, by coughing or sneezing, or just leaving virus on something you touched:

``First, if you’re sick, stay home from work or school to avoid being around as many people as possible. Second, we recommend that you cover your mouth to avoid spreading the germs.’’ (9 seconds)

You don’t need high tech to do that, of course. Dr. Bresee notes that a tissue can do the job of containing the coughs, sneezes and infectious germs.

However, the best defense is not to get sick. So the CDC recommends a new yearly vaccination to reduce your risk of getting the flu.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May 7, 2011