How can I stay healthy?

You can reduce your risk of getting pandemic flu by doing many of the same things you would do to protect yourself from the seasonal flu:

• Get your annual flu shot. It will protect you from seasonal flu. Being sick may weaken your immune system and thus lower your resistance to the pandemic flu virus.
• Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, and wash often - viruses can live on hard surfaces (e.g., doorknobs) for up to 2 days, and on your hands for up to 5 minutes.
• Post instructions about hand washing in all workplaces, bathrooms, and eating areas.
• Keep alcohol-based hand sanitizers (gels or wipes) handy and use them often.
  • Do not use water or dry hands with paper towels after using a hand sanitizer.
  • Some manufacturers recommend washing your hands with soap and water after 5-10 sanitizer applications.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Put the tissue in the garbage immediately
• If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
• Avoid touching your face and eyes. Viruses can easily enter your body through your eyes, mouth and nose.
• Cleaning - Clean handrails, door knobs, light switches, counter tops, sinks and water taps, key boards, and telephones, and other surfaces that may be touched by many people by using household detergents.
• Stay home when you are sick. If someone in your household is sick, consider staying home as well in case you are already infected.
• Avoid large crowds where viruses can spread more easily.
• Limit face-to-face contact.
• Reduce unnecessary travel.
• Follow any instructions from public health officials.
• Keep yourself as healthy as possible before the pandemic starts. Try to exercise regularly, eat well, get enough rest, and keep stress to a minimum.

A note about vaccines:
Getting a vaccine (the "flu shot") is a proven way to reduce the overall number of people from becoming ill during a flu outbreak. However, a vaccine specific to the new virus strain will take time to develop, test and manufacture - four to six months and maybe longer. A vaccine is unlikely to be available during the first wave of pandemic, but may be available during the second wave. Health officials recommend getting the annual flu shot. It will protect you from being sick with the regular flu, which will weaken your immune system and thus lower your resistance to the pandemic flu virus.