6 ways to limit the spread of influenza
Step 1: Don't panic. Step 2: Use common sense and good hygiene to avoid spreading the flu virus during a pandemic
By Dr. Vincent Lam and Dr. Colin Lee
Influenza infects your body through your mucous membranes: your nose, mouth, and eyes.
1. Wash up
Good handwashing and good cough and sneeze etiquette are always wise habits to reduce the risk of spreading or contracting any infection, and they are crucial to protecting your health during a pandemic. Be a good example for your children.
2. Keep your distance
“Social distancing” and trying to stay more than 1 metre away from people will decrease your risk of spreading or contracting influenza during a pandemic.
3. Be cautious
Use a mask if you need to be less than 1 metre from a person who is ill with influenza, or if you must be in a crowd during Phase 6 of a pandemic. If you can, it’s even better to avoid crowds at this time.
4. Protect yourself
If you are going to be handling the bodily fluids or secretions of someone who is ill with influenza, wash your hands even more and consider wearing gloves.
5. Find balance
Choosing how to go about your daily life during a pandemic means striking a balance between an activity’s risk of exposing you to influenza, and whether that activity is essential for you.
6. Play it safe
Cooperate with any containment measures in your community if they are used. They are well understood to be disruptive and therefore won’t be used unless they are felt to be important.
Excerpted from The Flu Pandemic and You Copyright © 2006 by Vincent Lam, M.D. Colin Lee, M.D.. Excerpted by permission of Doubleday Canada. All rights reserved.
During the supposed "H1N1 pandemic", record amounts of people refused both the regular flu, and the H1N1 vaccine. This was due largely to the anti-vaccine movement, and other scientists, or biologists, questioning how big pharma could have a H1N1 vaccine ready, when it takes at least 6 months to develop the vaccine in a lab. As an interesting side effect, it was the lowest flu season they had seen since the start of the flu vaccine program (CDC flu report 2009). It is not hard to deduce that it was because less people got the vaccine, wether it was because when they got the flu, they decided to stay at home (because if the vaccine reduces severity, more people are apt to go back to work while still sick), or because the flu vaccine is actually a contributer to the overall flu numbers. One way or the other, its best just to stay at home and rest. Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium.
just live healthy, if you get the flu, you'll be that much stronger once you're over it> vacinations are just a cash grab by big pharma as proven by the pandemic that never happened, and was never going to happen, acouple of years ago.
What about the most obvious thing: GET VACCINATED.
How about staying at home and working remotely during pandemic. It is way better than to maintain "social distance of 1 meter".
We are all equipped with phones and internet. And majority of the companies have remote access options - the goverment has to endorse it like giving some incentives fort the companies that are doing this.Otherwise, the management always want to "see" employe - well, it is job security for them.
Folks,
We all need to be more vigilant, especially in a pandemic situation now with H1N1 flu virus.
Bottom line for me is to always be alert with health issues. Being healthy would enable our bodies from being sick. My thoughts include the following.
Make it a practice to have a balanced diet every day. Don't be like me and be deficient on fruits and vegetables.
Always maintain a high degree of personal hygiene. Take a bath daily, and wash your hands including rubbing between your fingers with soap for at least 12 seconds each time.
Carry out a regiment of daily exercise such as walking 1 mile (minimum) per day.
Relax and have a good laugh every day. It’s well known that this is very healthy.
Be optimistic always. You'll feel happier, relate to others better, and do your job more effectively.
Whenever you come up with a difficult situation, say at work, consider yourself lucky, because if it was easier, someone else with less ability would be sitting in your chair.
Learn and practice stress management. Stress is known to have caused many illnesses including high blood pressure, obesity, heart problem, and osteoporosis.
Be gentle with yourself. Be generous with others.
Love your family, friends, and neighbours. For me, love includes caring for, and lending a helping hand as required.
Protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays. Make sure the sun glasses you wear meet this requirement. By the way, they can manufacture these lenses within $1.
I am sure I have left something important out. But if you just practice the above, you will be in a good position on the road of a healthy body and healthy mind.
Be a chum and share your better ideas with all of us!
Saint Joseph