Prevention Strategies for colds and flu

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Prevention Strategies

There are several ways you can keep yourself from getting a cold or passing

one on to others.

Because cold germs on your hands can easily enter through your eyes and nose,

keep your hands away from those areas of your body

If possible, avoid being close to people who have colds

If you have a cold, avoid being close to people

If you sneeze or cough, cover your nose or mouth.

Handwashing

Handwashing with soap and water is the simplest and one of the most effective

ways to keep from getting colds or giving them to others. During cold season,

you should wash your hands often and teach your children to do the same. When

water isn't available, CDC recommends using alcohol-based products made for

washing hands.

Disinfecting

Rhinoviruses can live up to 3 hours on your skin. They also can survive up to 3

hours on objects such as telephones and stair railings. Cleaning environmental

surfaces with a virus-killing disinfectant might help prevent spread of

infection.

Vaccine

Because so many different viruses can cause the common cold, the outlook for

developing a vaccine that will prevent transmission of all of them is dim.

Scientists, however, continue to search for a solution to this problem.

Unproven Prevention Methods

Echinacea: Echinacea is a dietary herbal supplement that some people use to

treat their colds. Researchers, however, have found that while the herb may help

treat your colds if taken in the early stages, it will not help prevent them.

One research study funded by the National Center for Complementary and

Alternative Medicine, a part of the National Institutes of Health, found that

echinacea is not affective at all in treating children aged 2 to 11.

Vitamin C: Many people are convinced that taking large quantities of vitamin C

will prevent colds or relieve symptoms. To test this theory, several

large-scale, controlled studies involving children and adults have been

conducted. To date, no conclusive data has shown that large doses of vitamin C

prevent colds. The vitamin may reduce the severity or duration of symptoms, but

there is no clear evidence. Taking vitamin C over long periods of time in large

amounts may be harmful. Too much vitamin C can cause severe diarrhea, a

particular danger for elderly people and small children.

Prevention Strategies Preventing Flu

The main way to keep from getting flu is to get a yearly flu vaccine. You can

get the vaccine at your doctor's office or a local clinic, and in many

communities at workplaces, supermarkets, and drugstores. You must get the

vaccine every year because it changes.

Scientists make a different vaccine every year because the strains of flu

viruses change from year to year. Nine to 10 months before the flu season

begins, they prepare a new vaccine made from inactivated (killed) flu viruses.

Because the viruses have been killed, they cannot cause infection. The vaccine

preparation is based on the strains of the flu viruses that are in circulation

at the time. It includes those A and B viruses (see Types of Flu Viruses)

expected to circulate the following winter.

Sometimes, an unpredicted new strain may appear after the vaccine has been made

and distributed to doctor's offices and clinics. Because of this, even if you do

get the flu vaccine, you still may get infected. If you do get infected,

however, the disease usually is milder because the vaccine will still give you

some protection. (See Should You Get a Flu Shot?)

Until recently, you could get the flu vaccine only as an injection (shot). In

2003, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a nasal spray flu

vaccine called FluMist that you can get from your health care provider. The FDA

approved it for use in healthy people aged 5 to 49 years.

You should not use FluMist if

You have certain lung conditions, including asthma, or heart conditions

You have metabolic disorders such as diabetes or kidney dysfunction

You have an immunodeficiency disease or are on immunosuppressive treatment

You have had Guillain-Barré syndrome

You are pregnant

You have a history of allergy or hypersensitivity, including anaphylaxis, to

any of the parts of FluMist or to eggs

Children or teenagers who regularly take aspirin or products containing aspirin

also should not take FluMist.

Your immune system takes time to respond to the flu vaccine. Therefore, you

should get vaccinated 6 to 8 weeks before flu season begins in November to

prevent getting infected or reduce the severity of flu if you do get it. Because

the flu season usually lasts until March, however, it's not too late to get it

after the season has begun. The vaccine itself cannot cause the flu, but you

could become exposed to the virus by someone else and get infected soon after

you are vaccinated.

Quote of the Day

" Don't let other people tell you what you want. "

– Pat Riley