It's Flu Season! Cover Your Cough! Clean Your Hands!

Flu season is here! 

Take everyday actions to stay healthy. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. 
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol based hand sanitizers are also effective. 
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. 
• Avoid close contact with sick people. 
• Stay home if you get sick. 
• Practice healthy habits by getting enough rest, eating healthily and exercising to maintain a strong body and to be able to fight germs.

Get Immunized. Vaccine is one of the most important layers of defense against the flu. Seasonal flu vaccine is recommended for everyone, starting at 6 months of age and is available through your usual doctor or health care provider.   Seasonal flu shots will be given at a free Flu Shot Clinic at the San Dimas Senior Citizen/Community Center on March 4 from 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.

Know the symptoms. The symptoms flu are fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with H1N1 flu virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine.) To avoid making other people sick, keep away from others as much as possible.

Stay Informed -  Stay up with the latest and most accurate information. Both Los Angeles County (http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/) have excellent websites with up-to-date information.