Flu prevention
Practice good health habits – wash hands often
Take the time to wash your hands frequently. Here’s how:
- Wet hands and rub vigorously with soap for 15 to 20 seconds — about the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.
- Rinse and pat your hands dry with a paper towel.
- If possible, turn off the faucet with a clean paper towel.
Get in the habit of washing your hands on a regular basis. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Wash your hands before:
- Preparing food
- Eating
- Putting in or removing your contacts
- Touching a sick person
- Treating a cut or wound
Wash your hands after:
- Using the bathroom
- Touching dirty surfaces or things that may carry germs, including raw food, diapers, animals and trash
- Being around a sick person
- Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
Tips for staying healthy at work
The Centers for Disease Control suggest other tips for staying healthy at work:
- Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes. Germs spread this way.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your elbow. Dispose of tissues in no-touch trash receptacles.
- Keep frequently touched common surfaces clean, such as telephones, computer keyboards, doorknobs, etc.
- Don't use other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment. If you must use it, clean it first.
- Don't spread the flu! If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle through rest, diet, and exercise.
Learn more
Visit FLU.gov or contact the CDC 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).
page modified 03/09/2010