Home | Site Index | Anatomy | Diseases | Wellness | Drugs | Dictionary | Maps-Phone Directory | Pinellas Co, FL
Bay Area Medical Information (BAMI.us)
Influenza Prevention

Home Page
Handwashing is key
Handwashing is key in prevention

How is the Virus Spread?
The main way that influenza viruses are spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person.  These droplets are propelled (generally up to 3 feet) through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. The simplest way to avoid the flu is to avoid crowds.

The flu virus also can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose before washing their hands. Exchanging a hand shake, touching a door knob, and handling money are just a few of the many ways infected secretions can be passed from one person to the next. Thorough hand washing, or use of alcohol gels, is an effective method of removing the virus from the hands.

Influenza is a virus
What you can do to prevent the flu (4)
  • Flu vaccinations are considered the best prevention available.

    • The best time to get a flu vaccine is from early October to mid-November. The vaccine can also be given at any point during the flu season, even if the virus has already begun to spread in your community. About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies develop that protect against influenza virus infection. Flu vaccines will not protect against flu-like illnesses caused by non-influenza viruses.

    • The flu shot does not guarantee that you are 100% protected. You might become infected with a strain of the flu that is not covered in this year's flu shot. Furthermore, recent studies have found that the vaccine may not be as protective for children under the age of two.

    • There are currently two vaccine options, the flu shot and the nasal spray vaccine. The shot gives more reliable protection and the spray is recommended only for non-high risk groups. The nasal-spray flu vaccine – a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu, is approved for use in healthy people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant.

    • You need a flu vaccine every year because the virus is constantly changing and new vaccines are developed annually to protect against new strains.

  • Antiviral medications (Tamiflu or Relenza--either oral or inhaled) are available and can be used to prevent influenza as well as to treat it if they are started after exposure to the flu or in the first 2 days of the illness. Recommendations from the Nat'l Institute of Health: Antiviral Medications


  • Wash your hands frequently using soap and hot water, for at least 15 seconds. Carry alcohol gel solution with you for times when you're away from a sink.

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Door knobs, grocery cart handles, elevator buttons, TV remote controls, telephones, and computer keyboards are all good vectors for transmission of the virus.

  • Take good care of yourself to maintain optimal immune function:
    • Get plenty of sleep and regular exercise to help
    • Drink plenty of water throughout the day,
    • Eat nutritious food including five fruits and vegetables per day
    • Manage stress
More about the Flu
Written by N Thompson, MSN, ARNP, Last updated January 2009
~Make BAMI.us your home page and gateway to the World Wide Web~
This is an up-to-date educational source for patient education. Health care providers may feel free to print out copies for their patient's use. Please note that content may not be copied for resale or other commercial use such as for web sites. The content on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.   Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site. 
Home | About Us | Advertise | Contact Us |Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
©2010 Bay Area Medical Information (BAMI.us)™ All Rights Reserved
Google |Yahoo |  MSN |  AOL |  Netscape |  Earthlink |  Dogpile |  All the Web | AltaVista