It’s time to get your flu shots! Of course, many people choose not to get the influenza vaccine (the “flu shot”) for various reasons, some more reasonable than others (including an allergy to eggs). This Straight, No Chaser reviews some of the better options left for you should you choose not to get vaccinated.

The best way to avoid the flu is prevention. Consider adopting these healthy habits before you ever get exposed:

• Wash your hands frequently with warm soapy water. You know when they’re dirty. Most certainly wash your hands before you use them to eat or put anything else in your mouth.
• If you can’t wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• If your hands are dirty and neither soap nor sanitizer is available, still rinse and dry your hands with warm water if you can.
• Use disinfectant to clean surfaces.
• Avoid unnecessarily touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Politely limit close contact with people who are ill, coughing and sneezing.
• When coughing or sneezing use the bend of your elbow or a facial tissue to help cover your nose and mouth. Learn to avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands.
• When you become sick, stay home. It’s the proper thing to do to avoid spreading your infection to others.

Vitamin C, echinacea and zinc have long been touted to prevent colds and influenza. There are no studies confirming or refuting this claim. Despite assurances that these and other herbal medicines are safe alternatives because they’re “natural”, the active ingredients in them are the same as found in certain prescription medicines. Thus they too may interact with other medications and worsen certain medical conditions. Given this, you should discuss your use of supplements with your physician or pharmacist prior to use.

Another level of defense for you involves use of certain antiviral prescription medications. If you are exposed to someone (e.g. a family member) with influenza, and especially if you begin having flu-like symptoms, immediately contact your physician to discuss taking medicines to prevent catching the flu. Such medications include Tamiflu® (generic name: oseltamivir), Relenza® (generic name: zanamivir), Flumadine® (generic name: rimantadine) and Symmetrel® (generic name: amantadine). If you make the request more than 24-48 hours after the onset of symptoms, you likely won’t be given the medication, since it isn’t likely to be effective outside of this time frame.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
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