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Staying safe and healthy through flu season and beyond

September 20, 2011

Keeping yourself, your family and co-workers healthy may be easier than you think, as long as you think ahead. Though flu season is an annual reminder of the need to adopt simple, infection-fighting habits and make use of preventive care programs, the fact is, reducing and eliminating the spread of infectious diseases is a year-round concern.

There are simple things – many of them the same things we do during flu season when our awareness is heightened – we can do all year long that will keep ourselves, our families and our co-workers healthy and infection-free.

Californians for Patient Care recommends adopting the following behaviors:

  • Wash your hands frequently: Don’t limit your frequent hand-washing to flu season – wash them several times a day year-round. Influenza and whooping cough are year-round dangers. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your healthcare professionals to wash their hands during an office visit or consultation.
  • Get recommended vaccinations: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides recommendations on vaccinations for both children and adults. Californians for Patient Care suggests you refer to these vaccination schedules and talk to your healthcare provider about getting your vaccinations up-to-date.
  • If you’re sick, stay home: Schoolchildren and employees are used to hearing this suggestion, but it’s also applicable to anyone visiting someone in the hospital. Most patients admitted to the hospital have weakened immune systems (due to their illness), so the last thing they need is a well-meaning, but sick friend or relative coming to visit, and potentially prolonging their stay.
  • Take medications as prescribed: It is important to take all medications as prescribed by healthcare professionals. Doing so gives your system enough time to battle the illness you’re suffering from, but failing to do so may keep your system to further infection.

There are also several resources we encourage you to use to so that you can make informed decisions about your health risks and healthcare options:

Vaccination Schedules

Flu Vaccine Finder

  • Use the Flu Vaccine Finder to find information about vaccine sites in your community by entering your ZIP code.

Care Comparison Tools

Patient Safety Tips

 

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