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Flu Prevention, Symptoms, and Care
Prevention:
- Get your flu shot! Participate in teh UNCW faculty//staff/student flu shot campaign each fall. Many local healthcare providers also administer the vaccine. Flu season lasts roughly from November through May, and having your flu shot can greatly reduce your risk of contracting the seasonal virus. It takes two weeks after the shot is administered to develop adequate immunity.
- Wash your hands! Many germs spread through human contact. Make sure to wash your hands on a regular basis.
- Practice good cough and sneeze etiquette by covering your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze and use tissues to trap germs.
- Stay away from people who are sick or not feeling well. Healthy adults infected with the virus may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick. That means you can pass the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.
- If you are sick, stay home. It is better for you to get well and prevent the spread of the virus to others.
- People who are considered high risk when infected by the flu virus are those who are 65 years and older, people with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, and children.
Flu Symptoms:
- Fever (up to 104 degrees) and/or sweating/chills
- Headache, muscle aches, and/or stiffness
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea and vomiting
Avian Flu Symptoms:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Muscle Aches
- Headaches
- Lethargy
- Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
- Chest pains
- Exposure to poultry or wild birds and/or travel to countries where Avian Flu has been located
Care:
- See your healthcare provider. Your doctor can help diagnose and treat your condition. There may be medication you can take to help you recover.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Rest.
- Refrain from alcohol and tobacco use.
Pandemic Flu Preparedness Home
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