The clip above shows the trend of 2007-2008 Winter Flu. Week 7 and 8 were most severe (Mid February). This clip also illustrates ways to prevent spreading it. Compare with current view: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm
September 14, 2009
Many of us Americans have
very poor habits when it comes to preventing the spread of illness.
1.
Never wipe your nose with bare hands, fingers or back of the hand to
catch a little nasal drip or fix and itch etc. (always carry a clean handkerchief or tissue)
2. Never cover a cough or sneeze with your
hand. Instead cover with your arm near your elbow or better yet a thick stack of tissue
and wash your hands thoroughly.
3. Always wash hands prior to
eating and as often as you reasonably can. Keep a bottle of antiseptic
jell nearby to sanitize as often as needed.
4. Get a flu shot
every year by Halloween. (This year there will be three shots, one for the regular flu, one for the H1N1 Swin flu and one more as a buster shot by December for the H1N1) The regular flu shot contains vaccination against the
top three threats of many concerned strains. Once vaccinated you will
always have a much faster immune response to that strain or related
strains. You will never lose immunity to the particular strain. However
over time, the B cells that produce the antibodies for that particular
strain decrease year by year and the response time to that strain
decreases as well. (e.g. that is why a tetanus shot is needed every ten
years as an example.) So getting a flu shot every year (even when some
of the same strains are repeated in the vaccine) is still a very good
idea.
5. Going to work when ill is not recommended as stated
below, however, consulting with my own family doctor who sees 25 sick
patients each day and who is virtually never sick himself says that unless it is
SARS or some other extremely virulent flu strain, you would have to
cough or sneeze directly on a person like 12” away or less to pick up
the airborne particulates. He said he washes his hands 25 times a day
and that is why he is never sick. I believe you can come to work sick,
even though risky, if all of the above is very religiously followed.
We always have our children wash their hands as soon as they come in the door from school or church or where ever.