Today’s paper documents that the flu season is upon us and is classed as widespread in Texas. Flu viruses are more than a nuisance in the elderly (over 65 years); they are deadly. CDC reports that as many as 30 thousand deaths occur each year. Failing to prepare to protect yourself is not wise because you can mostly avoid catching the flu by simple measures. The measures are obviously necessary only during flu season.
Flu virus spreads in two ways: by inhalation of droplets from an infected person’s coughing or sneezing and from touching a surface containing infectious material and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. Experts estimate one third of cases are from contaminated hands.
If you are in an area, where someone is coughing or sneezing move away. A cough can spread droplets about 10 feet and sneezes even further. It is prudent to carry a handkerchief to cover briefly (not as a bandit) your nose filtering the air when retreat is difficult.
In public areas, be cautious about what you touch. Open doors and grasp bannisters with your non-dominant hand. Open door handles in the least likely place. When in a public place, before sanitizing your hands, avoid touching your face.
Hand sanitizers are great preventive measures, especially when hand washing is not available. Keep hand sanitizers in the garage and sanitizing wipes in the car. Sanitize in the car if there has been exposure to multiple possible contaminates, such as shaking multiple hands at church, otherwise, use the garage sanitizer.
Hand washing is also a good habit, throughout the year. Antibacterial soaps are available at most drug stores. When washing focus on the fingers because that is where the germs reside. During peak flu season, it is best to employ both sanitizers and hand washing. When exercising at the gym and other places where multiple exposures can occur, use sanitizers before and after workouts.
Viruses are ultra-small terrorist organisms that are incomplete. They cannot reproduce without commandeering the host organism’s DNA to make more viruses. They enter cells, make many duplicates, and exit usually destroying the host cell. Thus, any with any treatment time is essential.
There are three prescription antivirals and one over the counter med. The most common prescription med is Tamiflu and the OTC antiviral is cold-eeze. I recommend stockpiling cold-eeze and Tamiflu (if your doc will write you a script before illness). This recommendation is because the earlier you take antivirals the sooner you will recover.
Both the flu and common cold have early signs a day or two before one really gets sick (prodromal symptoms). The signal of viral sickness is the same. One feels tired for no reason, has a scratchy throat, and feels as if they have a fever without a measurable fever. Whenever this is suspected, start the antiviral, which you have on hand.
A substantial cause of elderly flu deaths is not from the virus; battling the flu can weaken the elderly immune system and give an opening to a bacterial pneumonia, which is always dangerous. The most common bacteria is a pneumococcus which can be prevented by a vaccination.
