Be sure to protect yourself and your loved ones during cold and flu season by following these tips:
- Get a flu shot. This is the single best way to protect against the flu. Everyone 6 months of age and older is encouraged to get vaccinated every year. Flu season in Ohio normally peaks in January or later. Flu shots are widely available throughout the community.
- Wash your hands frequently. Since your hands are the most common way to get germs into your body, you should scrub vigorously with soap and water for 10-15 seconds to keep them as germ-free as possible. Wash after using the bathroom, before handling food, before eating, and any other time you think you might have picked up germs. Additional information on hand washing.
- Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth. You can't keep all the germs off your hands all the time. So, keep your hands away from germs' most common entryways into the body.
- Cover your nose and mouth with your sleeve or tissue when coughing or sneezing. Stop the spread your germs to others by coughing or sneezing into your sleeve.
- Avoid close contact. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick. You should also avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick to prevent others from getting sick.
Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, drink plenty of fluids, eat nutritious foods, manage your stress, and be physically active.
Adult Immunization Coalition of Central Ohio
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Columbus & Franklin County Seasonal Influenza Surveillance Reports
