Tips for staying healthy during flu season
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- Get the annual flu vaccine. This is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. You may still get the flu vaccine in a shot or mist form at your physician’s office, health department or local pharmacy. It takes two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body, protecting against the virus infection.
- Stay home from work or school when you are sick. This helps prevent others from catching your illness. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If a tissue is not readily available, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve rather than your hands.
- Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze, for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are unavailable, use a hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Disinfect surfaces or objects touched at home, work or school, particularly when someone is sick.
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness cause by the influenza virus and can cause mild to severe illness. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, fatigue, headache, vomiting or diarrhea.
Students with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher are required to be picked up by a parent and must remain at home until he or she is fever free without medication for 24 hours, per school policy.
Broken Arrow Public Schools continues ongoing communication with local health officials, the Oklahoma Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The district follows instructions from these institutions should a flu outbreak occur this winter.
For more information about the flu and how to avoid it, visit www.cdc.gov/flu.