Can You Get the Flu by Being in Same Room
When information technology comes fourth dimension for flu season, it's of import to do everything yous tin to protect yourself before you get sick. Mayhap you lot consider yourself pretty healthy and aren't concerned about catching the influenza, simply even salubrious individuals can contract this sometimes deadly affliction. That'southward because the flu is frequently more contagious than you call back. The 2019-2020 influenza outbreak was not just astringent, but drawn out. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 21-week season from October-May was the longest in 10 years. Additionally, more than 600,000 people sought treatment for the flu in emergency rooms. As people traveled to ERs and hospitals with chills, body aches, fever, headache and other symptoms, everyone inside 6 anxiety of an infected individual was at gamble of contracting the disease. It is worth noting that the 2020-2021 flu season was dramatically less astringent than the yr prior, idea to be due to measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19. The infection can be specially dangerous to the very young, the very old, and those with other chronic illnesses. Because the flu is so common and tin exist deadly to and so many in your community, information technology's of import that anybody understands how to forbid infection. Read on for answers to your questions about how contagious the flu is and how the flu is spread. [availability_widget]
How is the Flu Spread?
Some viruses crave intimate contact or an exchange of bodily fluids in social club to spread. Others tin exist spread by whatsoever peel-to-pare contact—fifty-fifty something as innocent as a handshake. The flu is far easier to spread, requiring no contact at all. Information technology's also possible to spread the flu via surface contact. If a sick person coughs into their hand and and then touches a doorknob or other surface, those who touch that same surface after and then bear upon their face can become infected.
How Contagious is the Influenza?
Did you know that a person with the flu can infect someone upwardly to half-dozen feet abroad ? Most people believe that the flu can just be spread through a coughing or sneeze, but in reality, that's non the instance. Experts believe that the flu can really exist spread via respiratory droplets past simply speaking or breathing through the oral cavity, making it super contagious. That's why it's so important to recover from the flu at home when you're just experiencing mild symptoms. The CDC recommends avoiding contact with others during recovery to avoid spreading the virus. In that location are exceptions, even so; if any of the following apply to you, y'all should seek medical attention:
- Your symptoms are moderate to astringent
- You lot're in a high-adventure group , such every bit young children, pregnant women, older adults, or people with sure pre-existing conditions
- Y'all're worried about your illness
Click hither to read up on the emergency warning signs of the flu in children and adults. If y'all or your child are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek urgent medical intendance. Just if your illness is mild, recovering at home will keep others in your community safe from contracting the virus.
The Flu Shot Helps
Before and during flu season, your doctor likely encourages y'all to go the flu shot. Many people are hesitant to get this vital vaccination due to rumors of family or friends getting ill after receiving a flu shot; but this is not accurate. The flu shot can't give you the flu . Some people report developing flu-like symptoms later existence vaccinated, but this is likely due to another reason such as an agin reaction to the shot, communicable the flu before the vaccine becomes effective, or other illnesses. The flu shot is not e'er 100% effective, sometimes due to mismatched flu viruses in which the virus strains used for the vaccine don't lucifer the virus strains spreading in the community. However, even in these circumstances, getting the flu shot will still increase your protection against contracting the flu. Refraining from getting vaccinated can unnecessarily result in an increased adventure of getting the flu and all of its complications, as well equally contributing to community spread.
How to Prevent the Spread
The absolute best way to forestall infecting others , once you know you're sick, is to avert social encounters. It'south recommended that people with the flu remain abode for at least a week and only venture out if necessary to obtain medical care. And if you do accept to leave home, wear a mask, since nosotros know the flu is very contagious and quick to spread fifty-fifty without person-to-person contact. Here are boosted steps you tin can have to prevent getting and spreading the flu:
- Practice the "vampire cough." Cantankerous your arm over your face up when yous sneeze or cough, similar a vampire pulling his cloak beyond to shield the sunlight. In doing and then, y'all'll forbid the virus from spreading via airborne particles. Alternatively, apply a tissue. No matter which method you choose, only be certain to comprehend your oral cavity and nose!
- Wash your hands frequently. From using your hands to cover coughs to unavoidable contact with door knobs and other common surfaces, your hands constantly come up into contact with germs. And when you don't wash your hands, those germs can exist transferred to food and potable, whether for yourself or others. Avoid communicable the flu from a contaminated surface—and spreading the flu unknowingly—past washing your hands oft with warm water and soap. Launder for at to the lowest degree 20 seconds, or virtually the fourth dimension it takes you to sing the "Happy Birthday" song in your head twice!
- Avoid touching your face. We all touch our faces throughout the day, from a quick scratch to adjusting makeup to roofing a yawn. 1 study showed that a group of role workers touched their face equally many as 16 times an 60 minutes ! But during flu season, endeavour to stay vigilant and avoid touching your face as much every bit possible to prevent contracting the flu virus. Pro tips to brand this easier: change the way you sit so yous're not resting your confront on the palm of your manus, tie your hair back, and make sure your glasses fit well!
How Long Are the Sick Contagious?
For most healthy adults, the possibility of spreading flu germs begins a full day before getting sick . This means that we should all be careful almost spreading germs, whether we experience sick or not. Additionally, adults can pass on the virus up to a full week later on becoming sick, while children can pass it fifty-fifty longer. It's not uncommon for flu sufferers to return to their normal routine as soon equally symptoms begin to abate, even though it'due south not a proficient idea. As much every bit you lot want to get back to normal, you certainly don't want to infect your friends, relatives, and coworkers. Instead, exist sure to wait the full week earlier going back to work or socializing with friends.
Get Treatment at Dwelling house
If you're sick and need medical handling, just don't want to risk infecting an entire waiting room full of people at your local clinic, what tin can yous do? The simple solution is to get your healthcare delivered. DispatchHealth travels then the flu doesn't . If you're feeling influenza-like symptoms, call 1-866-Influenza-CREW. We'll ship a squad of qualified medical professionals to your home to administrate a rapid influenza exam, provide Four fluids, gild mobile chest Ten-rays, prescribe anti-nausea medication, and more. And nosotros do all of this in straight communication with your main intendance physicians to ensure an integrated care experience. We see patients of all ages, from the very immature to older adults —segments of the population often considered at the highest chance of experiencing dangerous or life-threatening influenza complications. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?5=DAeRiWv_l78&t=90s[/embed] Sounds expensive, correct? DispatchHealth is actually partnered with most major insurance companies , including Medicare and Medicaid, and handles billing directly with those companies. In fact, a visit with DispatchHealth typically costs one-tenth of the cost of a visit to the ER, and patients pay an average of $5-$50 depending on their insurance program . In addition to flu, we can treat a wide variety of non-life-threatening weather including everything from sports injuries and urinary tract infections to loftier claret pressure and migraines . Then if you need medical care for other concerns during flu season, y'all tin avert sharing a waiting room with those who may be contagious. Staying home when you're ill should be the standard of care. And then the next time you're in need of urgent medical care, skip the emergency room or clinic, give DispatchHealth a call , and get on the road to recovery quickly without ever getting on the road at all. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please telephone call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Sources
DispatchHealth relies only on administrative sources, including medical associations, research institutions, and peer-reviewed medical studies. Sources referenced in this article:
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- https://www.cdc.gov/influenza/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/influenza/treatment/takingcare.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/spread.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/preclude/actions-foreclose-flu.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/influenza/handling/takingcare.htm#anchor_1553702039
- https://world wide web.mayoclinic.org/diseases-weather condition/influenza/in-depth/flu-shots/fine art-20048000
- https://www.tchc.org/web log/2018/12/12/hand-hygiene-and-germ-facts/
- https://www.umms.org/coronavirus/what-to-know/prevention-rubber/protect/non-touch-face
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18357546/
Source: https://www.dispatchhealth.com/blog/flu-is-more-contagious-than-you-think/
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