Your Best Defence: Get Ready For Flu Season

Autumn ushers in earlier sunsets and fiery foliage. But with cooler nights and crowded classrooms comes flu season. More than one kind of flu virus will be spreading this season, including seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu, making it even more important to Be Aware and Prepare.

Providing you with health care tips to help you meet the challenges of flu season is just one more way Blue Advantage is your advantage.

Pandemic Flu—what you need to know
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization announced the H1N1 flu had become a flu pandemic. This means the WHO knows this new strain of flu is passing easily from one person to another, on more than one continent.

You are more likely to catch pandemic flu than ‘ordinary’ flu because it will spread rapidly and very few people will have immunity to it. Everyone will be at risk. Some groups of people may be more at risk than others, not because they are more susceptible, but because they are more likely to experience complications as a result of the H1N1 flu. These groups include:
  • the very young
  • people aged 65 and over
  • people with existing medical conditions such as lung diseases, diabetes, cancer, kidney or heart problems
  • people who have a weak immune system because of certain treatments, or illnesses such as HIV/AIDS.
  • pregnant women
The majority of cases of H1N1 flu in Canada have experienced mild illness and recovered at home. Assuming the pandemic is moderately severe, (which is how it has been described so far) and without a pandemic vaccine, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) estimates between 15 and 35 per cent of Canadians could become ill, 34,000 to 138,000 individuals may need to be hospitalized, and between 11,000 and 58,000 deaths could occur. Fortunately a vaccine is being developed and is expected to be available in late fall.

If you get the flu, not only will you get sick, but you’re at risk of spreading the flu to others at home, at work and in the community. The symptoms of pandemic flu are similar to those of ordinary flu but are usually more severe and can occur at any time of the year, not just during the winter.

The symptoms may include:
  • severe headache
  • sore throat
  • runny nose and sneezes
  • high temperature
  • fever
  • chills and shivers
  • aches and pains in your joints and muscles
  • weakness and fatigue
  • loss of appetite
The incubation period (time between contact with the virus and the onset of symptoms) varies from one to four days. Most people will feel very ill for about a week and will probably feel “under the weather” for another week or so.

Listening to the news, it’s easy to get scared, but knowledge is power. Knowing what you can do to prevent the flu is your best defence against both the seasonal flu and H1N1 influenza.

Common-sense Flu Prevention
There is little we can do to completely avoid viruses. However, there are a few precautions that may help you avoid catching any kind of flu, including the H1N1 flu:
  • Get the flu shot. The annual flu shot protects you from ordinary strains of human influenza that are expected to be in circulation during this year's flu season. The PHAC recommends you also get the vaccine for the H1N1 when it becomes available in your area.
  • Wash your hands properly and often. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds
  • If you use a hand sanitizer, make sure it is alcohol-based. Use enough cleaner to keep your hands wet for a minimum of 20 seconds. Rub your hands together as the cleaner dries. Make sure you rub the cleaner all over your hands. Don't forget to rub between your fingers, the backs of your hands and under your fingernails.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve, not your hand. If you cough up phlegm, spit it into a tissue, throw the tissue away and wash your hands properly right away.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
  • Stay at home if you are sick. If you have flu symptoms, call your doctor or health care provider. Depending on your symptoms, they may tell you to stay home or go to the clinic or hospital.
  • Use a regular household disinfectant to wash common surfaces every day. Make sure you wash:
    • counters, taps and sinks in your bathroom and kitchen
    • bedside tables
    • children's toys
    • computer keyboards
    • desks and tabletops
    Wipe surfaces with paper towels that can be thrown away or cloth towels that can be washed afterwards. Use soap and water to clean the toys and objects that young children may put in their mouths.
  • Stay away from people who may be sick.
  • If possible, avoid crowded places.
  • Keep good airflow in your home by opening windows.
  • Check for travel notices and advisories issued by the government.
  • Stay healthy: Get enough sleep, eat healthy food, exercise.

Content regarding flu prevention is adapted from information provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada. For more information, visit www.fightflu.ca
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The Blue Advantage program allows Blue Cross members to save on medical, vision care and many other products and services offered by participating providers across Canada. The program is unique because it provides discounts at point of sale on the total cost of products and services from participating providers across Canada, regardless of whether the item is covered under your benefit plan. Simply present your Blue Cross identification card to the participating provider and mention the Blue Advantage program.

Blue Advantage is just one more way Blue Cross is working in your community to offer members access to affordable, quality services and products that can help them make healthy lifestyle choices. We encourage you to visit blueadvantage.ca regularly to learn where you might find health care savings available in your area.

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