Ultimate Flu Resource: Tips to Prevent Flu, Prevent the Spread of Flu, and Alleviate Flu Symptoms.

There's no way around it. It's flu season. That means it's time to evaluate what you can do right now to prevent the flu from sweeping through your household. I've partnered with CVS Pharmacy to share tips to prevent flu and a few tips to manage symptoms and prevent the spread of flu if you do end up with that dreaded virus this year.

All those years as a healthcare provider taught me a very valuable lesson: the flu is NO joke. Trust me when I say it isn't "just the flu." While the Influenza virus can be mild for some, it can be absolutely devastating and even fatal for some. So, how do you avoid the flu? And, if you come down with the flu, what can you do to help alleviate your symptoms? I've got tips to prevent flu, how to alleviate symptoms, and tips to help you prevent the spread of the flu virus.

Tips to Prevent Flu

1.) First, you should get a flu shot. This is most effective way to protect yourself (and your loved ones) from coming down with the flu. Just a few minutes of your time could prevent you, or someone you love, from getting deathly ill this season. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination since immunity provided by the vaccine declines over time. Getting a flu shot can reduce flu illnesses and subsequent money and time spent on doctors’ visits, missed work and school due, and possible flu-related hospitalizations. Since it can take up to two weeks for your immunity to build up after getting a flu shot, the CDC recommends you get vaccinated as soon as flu vaccines become available (which is now). 

If you're wondering who should get vaccinated and about that nasal mist, the CDC also has guidelines to help. Everyone 6 months of age and up should get a flu vaccine every year by the end of October, if possible. This year, the CDC recommends the use of injectable influenza vaccines instead of the nasal spray flu vaccine.

CVS Pharmacy is making it easy for everyone to get their flu shot this year. They've got 9,600 retail pharmacy locations and more than 1,100 MinuteClinic locations (their walk-in medical clinics), and all locations nationwide are now offering flu vaccinations. MinuteClinics are open every day, including evenings and weekends, and no appointment is needed (although you can register in advance to hold your place in line, which is awesome!). 

Worried about getting the flu from the flu shot? Don't be. The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you can't get the flu from a flu shot. You might experience minor side effects like soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site, a low-grade fever or aches, but these usually subside within a day or two.

2.) Keep your hands clean and try not to touch your face if possible. This is a big one. Your hands come into contact with countless germs throughout the day and it's easy to transfer them to your eyes, nose, and mouth if you aren't careful. Try to remember not to touch your face and wash your hands often during flu season.

I don't mean, squirt a little soap onto your palms and then rinse. When you wash your hands, be sure to work up a lather and scrub your hands and in between your fingers for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not quite as effective as handwashing with soap and water, but it's a great alternative if you don't have a sink nearby. We love the CVS Health Hand Sanitizing Wipes for when we're out and about. I always keep a package in my diaper bag and in my car.

3.) Practice healthy habits. Getting in the habit of taking care of your body now might also help combat the flu. Be sure to get plenty of sleep, stay physically active, manage your stress levels, drink plenty of fluids, and eat well to keep your immune system in tip-top shape during cold and flu season. Don't forget a good multivitamin and some AirShield too.

How to Prevent Spread and Alleviate Flu Symptoms

If you find yourself wondering whether or not you've got the flu, there are a few things you can do to reduce the severity of your symptoms and prevent the virus from spreading to others.

1.) Stay home. Would you believe that an annual Flu Survey, conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CVS Pharmacy in July 2017, found that nearly two in three (65 percent) employed Americans would still go to work even if they were feeling ill with flu-like symptoms? This is why the flu spreads so easily! If you think you've been exposed to the flu or start to feel symptomatic (feeling feverish or having chills, cough, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, body aches, headaches fatigue, or experience vomiting or diarrhea), please stay home to rest and limit your contact with others.

2.) Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. It's a common myth that the flu is only spread by coughing and sneezing, but coughing and sneezing do transmit the flu virus to surfaces. The Influenza virus can survive on hard surfaces for up to 24 hours. That's why it's important to cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and then discarding that tissue in the trash. It's also imperative to wash your hands frequently and disinfect surfaces often.

3.) Sanitize surfaces. While it's imperative to wash your hands frequently, it's also important to disinfect the surfaces that you tough most often. Think about door handles, faucets, countertops, keyboards, and remotes. Don't forget your phone and car too!

4.) Stock up on supplies, hopefully ahead of time. Coming down with the flu is horrible, but there are over-the-counter (OTC) cold and flu remedies that you can take to lessen the severity of some of your symptoms. CVS Pharmacy has a huge variety of over the-the-counter medications and vitamins to help you feel better. Don't forget the tissues, hand-sanitizer, and cleaning products while you're there. I like to have an emergency kit stocked before cold and flu season even starts so I don't have to run out and grab supplies when I'm under the weather, or leave my kids for OTC medications in the middle of the night if they're sick.

5.) If you have flu symptoms and are in a high-risk group or are very sick, you should seek medical care immediately. While most otherwise-healthy people who get the flu don't need antiviral medications, some people might. Early flu treatment (within 72 hours of exposure to the virus) has been proven to reduce the length and severity of illness. So, if you're concerned about your symptoms, it's better to be safe than sorry and get checked out by a healthcare professional. Managing flu-like symptoms is another service you can visit any one of the 1,100 MinuteClinic locations for.

Will you be getting a flu shot this year? 
Do you have a MinuteClinic near you? 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of CVS Health + MinuteClinic. This post is not intended to diagnose or treat medical illness. Please consult your primary care provider if you have questions.

Be sure to check out the following posts for more health and wellness tips:

See why you need the CVS Pharmacy App.

What's new at CVS this year.