January is usually the "high point" of the flu season (or "low point," depending on your point of view.) As we move into January, PuroClean is concerned with the safety and welfare of its employees and with our clients and customers. As everyone knows, the flu can be a real concern.
Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, and have respiratory symptoms but not have a fever. People with the flu can spread it to others who are up to about six feet away. Most experts believe that flu viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk. Sometimes these droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. More often, a person may become contaminated by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it (such as doorknobs or push plates, drinking fountain handles, money/currency, etc.), and then touching their own mouth, nose or eye.
A person with the active flu virus may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after symptoms develop. Children may pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms typically start one to four days after the virus enters the body.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following actions to protect yourself and others from influenza (the flu):
1. Take time to get a flu vaccine.
• The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Even now, in January, it is not too late, and a vaccination still has value.
• While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine protects against the three viruses that research suggests will be most common.
• The 2010-2011 flu vaccine will protect against an influenza A H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus, and the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) virus that caused so much illness last season.
• Everyone six months of age and older should get vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible.
• People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease, and people 65 years and older.
• Children younger than six months are at high risk of serious flu illness, but are too young to be vaccinated. It is very important that people who care for them be vaccinated instead.
2. Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use one of the many hand-sanitizing products available on the market today.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone, except to get medical care or for other necessities.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
3. Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.
• Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines and are not available over-the-counter.
• Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious flu complications. In certain situations it is necessary or desirable to have properties cleaned to reduce the chance of spreading flu or other infectious diseases. If you do have a property affected by infectious material, your local PuroClean restoration professionals are highly trained and skilled in situations involving pathogens. The PuroClean office can perform an evaluation of the situation and work with concerned parties to plan a course of action to return the property to safe and clean conditions. PuroClean restoration professionals can effectively remediate pathogens such as viruses and bacteria in structures in accordance with industry standards and at a reasonable cost. Home or business owners are returned to a safe condition in the shortest time possible. If you do have a home or business owner with a potential contamination in any part of a structure, call your local independently owned and operated PuroClean location for prompt and professional service.
Regardless of the circumstances - biological contamination, dealing with fire/smoke damage, water damage, mold remediation, or even biohazard remediation/cleanup - call your local PuroClean office, the Paramedics of Property DamageTM 800-944-7876. For all property damage situations, these professionals are standing by. They will mitigate the loss to prevent further damage and will then provide restoration services to return the property to a pre-loss condition as quickly as possible. All PuroClean offices have welltrained professional technicians who provide the latest state-of-the-science services to all property damaged from water, fire, smoke, mold, and other disasters.
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