Terri Ramsey Beavers Flu is a viral infection that primarily affects respiratory organs like the nose, lungs, and throat. The full name is influenza. According to a report, the flu causes between 294000 and 518000 deaths every year throughout the world.
Flu is highly contagious, and most people contract the infection when they breathe in airborne droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person. People also contract the flu by touching contaminated items and their faces, noses, or mouth before washing their hands.
How to protect against flu
You can protect yourself from the flu by combining different safety practices. Flu can quickly spread from one person to another, even when four feet apart, and the infected person may be asymptomatic for up to five days.
Here are simple ways to protect you and your household against the menace of the flu.
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Get vaccinated
The best and most effective way to protect yourself and your family against the flu is by getting vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control recommends flu vaccines for everyone from 6 months of age upward.
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Good personal hygiene
The Center for Diseases Control and Prevention ( CDC) said there had been a significant drop in flu activity over the last year compared to the previous years. This is mainly due to COVID-19 safety practices like social distancing, mandatory use of facemasks in public places, and frequent washing of the hands that were in place.
Wash your hand regularly using clean running water for at least 2 minutes, and avoid touching your face unnecessarily, especially when your hand is dirty. Also, ensure your home and its surroundings are clean. If it’s a lot of work, contact commercial cleaning services to give your home a thorough cleaning.
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Quarantine the sick person
This may seem too much for someone infected with the flu but remember that the viral infection can worsen conditions like pneumonia, asthma, diabetes, and heart failure. It is necessary to keep the infected person in a secluded place to avoid spreading the infection.
Also, healthy people should stay away from flu-infected people except when they are in protective clothing.
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Disinfect surfaces
Flu droplets can sit idle on an unclean surface for more than 24 hours, and it is crucial to clean the house whether or not flu has been detected.
Spots or areas touched or used by an infected person should be given special attention. Use a disinfectant to wipe surfaces of the doorknobs, tabletops, remote control, sofa, kitchen countertops, and the toilet.
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Wash sheets and other linens
Viruses can survive on fibrous clothing materials for a long time. To manage that, wash linens like sheets and towels in hot water with detergent and tumble dry.
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Manage the environment’s humidity level
The flu virus survives optimally in an environment with dry air. To keep the virus away from you, especially indoors, keep your home humidity level above 40 percent and monitor it using a hygrometer.
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Air filtration
Use an air filter to extract germs, bacteria, germs, and allergens from the air. This makes the air cleaner and more healthy. You should replace the air filter at least once in three months.
Protection against the flu is not as complicated as it sounds. Daily cleaning habits and personal hygiene can work effectively along with flu vaccine to combat the viral infection.