By knowing the symptoms, and taking preventative action, you can reduce the risk of being infected.
Symptoms / What to Look For
Symptoms of a virus include cough, sore throat, fever, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Occasionally people will have vomiting and diarrhea.
Prevention
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are several ways to limit the spread:
1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing.
2. Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
3. Wash your hands often, for at least 15-20 seconds.
4. If you are sick, stay at home.
5. Try to avoid sick people.
Cleaning
Influenza viruses can survive on most surfaces for at least 2 to 8 hours, however it can live longer in many areas of your home or office. For example, it can live on paper for up to 12 hours, on nonporous surfaces (such as counters and doorknobs) for up to 48 hours, and on moist surfaces for up to 72 to hours. This is why it’s so important to regularly clean surfaces.
Using household disinfectants to wipe down tables, counters, and keyboards will go a long way to preventing transmission of H1N1. However, simply following typical cleaning methods may not be enough. To kill the flu, additional steps need to be
To properly disinfect, followed:
1. Clean the surface prior using the disinfectant. For a disinfectant to work properly, the surface must already be wiped down (unless you are using something clearly labeled “cleaner/disinfectant”), or else it will not be effective.
2. Follow the label’s instructions and allow the disinfectant to sit for as long as recommended. It often takes 5 – 10 minutes for them to do their work, so allow for this before wiping off the disinfectant.
K-12 schools, colleges and businesses should strengthen their regular cleaning plans. In particular, focusing on surfaces that are often touched (such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, and desks). It would also be a good idea to provide wet wipes for people to routinely clean their areas.
The Vaccine
The final way to guard against the flu is getting the flu shot. The CDC particularly recommends it for those groups who are likely to be at risk for health complications as a result of contracting a virus (flu, H1N1) such as the very young or the very old.
The bottom line
H1N1 can kill, but by taking preventative measures, you can reduce the risk of it harming your family coworkers, or classmates. Be sure to properly disinfect the surfaces around you, wash your hands often, and consider getting the vaccine.
Sources: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Research and findings.
http://healthnewsdigest.com/news/Guest_Columnist_710/The_Importance_of_Hygienic_Cleaning_to_Prevent_H1N1_printer.shtml
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