INFLUENZA

News

Seasonal Flu Shots

women getting a shot For the 2011-2012 Flu Season: Flu shots are available. This years flu shot will protect against influenza A H3N2, influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus that emerged in 2009.

Wellness 2000 is scheduling clinics nationwide. Flu shots are conducted at your work site. Additional vaccines are available including pneumonia, tetanus and hepatitis. We maintain billing agreements with the major health insurers or we will establish a billing agreement with your insurer as needed. To set up your clinic at your workplace please call us at 800-866-8344 or email Mark at: mpettee@wellness2000.com

Pandemic Flu Planning:

Wellness 2000 provides pandemic flu planning in accordance with CDC guidelines. If you need support in developing your plan or you would like consulting services on preventive measures for your employees please call us.

Flu Facts:

In the United States, every year more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications. 20,000 children are hospitalized. And finally, every year 36,000 people die from the flu.

Protecting the Work Place

person with flu Flu is highly contagious. We should expect the Seasonal Flu to spread rapidly particularly through our schools and businesses. To protect your workplace consider these actions:

Keep sick workers away from the job site: review medical leave policies, work from home procedures, cross training or replacement of key employees.
Review your communications plan to ensure key processes continue to work.
Provide sanitation resources: make sure tissues, hand sanitizers and disposal towel are available
Educate on the symptoms and responses to flu - learn more Seasonal Flu and Business from the CDC

Workplace Questions

How do I recognize a fever or signs of a fever?

A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If a sick employee’s temperature cannot be taken, look for these possible signs of fever: if he or she feels very warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating or shivering.

Can the flu virus live on surfaces, such as computer keyboards?

Yes, the virus can live on hard objects up to 8 hours. Flu viruses maybe spread when a person touches a hard surface (such as a desk or doorknob) or an object (such as a keyboard or pen) where the virus has landed and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Routine cleaning of surfaces will help stop the virus from spreading in this way.

What are the flu symptoms?

Symptoms of flu include fever or chills and cough or sore throat. In addition, symptoms of flu can include runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting. CDC recommends that sick workers stay home if they are sick with flu-like illness until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines.

How long should a sick employee stay home?

Under current flu conditions, employees with flu-like symptoms should stay home for at least 24 hours they no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medicine. In most case employees should plan to be away from work for 3-5 days.

Prevention and Treatment

You can take effective prevention and treatment actions to protect yourself and your family.

Get a Flu Shot:

The seasonal flu vaccine is effective against the most common strains of the flu. Even if you become ill after taking the vaccine your illness should be shorter and less intense.

Flu shots are most important for those at high risk - young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart or lung disease, and people 65 and older.

People that care for those in a high risk group should also receive the flu vaccine.

Stay home if you have flu symptoms. Visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1 for more information.

Practice Good Prevention Everyday.

Cover your cough
Wash your hands - often.
Avoid close contact with sick people
If you are sick - stay home
Avoid touching your eyes and mouth

If your doctor recommends take antiviral drugs.

Ways You Can Stay Healthy

Maintain a healthy lifestyle through rest, diet, exercise, and relaxation.
Wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds.
Wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and eyes.
Cover your coughs with a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your elbow.
Clean frequently touched common surfaces, such as telephones, computer keyboards, doorknobs, etc.
Do not use other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment unless you clean it first.
Don’t spread the flu! If you are sick, stay home. CDC recommends that sick workers stay home if they are sick with flu-like illness until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines.

People at High Risk

Most people who get flu will suffer a mild illness and recover in about two weeks. Some people, however, are likely to suffer complications. These people may be hospitalized or occasionally the illness can result in death. High risk individuals are the highest priority for the flu vaccine.

People at higher risk for flu complications include pregnant women, adults 65 years and older, and people with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, cancer, heart disease, or diabetes). For more information about priority groups for vaccination, visit. Information for specific groups.

How can I protect my child from the flu?

Sneezing child A flu vaccine is the best way to protect against the flu. CDC recommends that all children from the ages of 6 months up to their 19 birthday get a flu vaccine every fall or winter (children getting a vaccine for the first time need two doses)

Children 6 months and older can get a flu shot.
A nasal-spray vaccine is ok for healthy children 2 years and older
Children under 5 years who have had wheezing in the past year or any child with chronic health problems should get the flu shot
You can protect your child by getting a flu vaccine for yourself too. Also encourage your child’s close contacts to get a flu vaccine. This is very important if your child is younger than 5 or has a chronic health problem like asthma (breathing disease) or diabetes (high blood sugar levels).

Make it Your Business to Flight the Flu

Host a Flu Vaccine Clinic in Your Workplace

A clinic in your workplace can:

Promote good health and reduce the work days that are lost every year to illness.
Make it easy to get the vaccine.

Promote the Flu Vaccination in Your Community

Make sure your family, friends and customers know the value of the vaccine and where they can get vaccinated..

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Wellness 2000, Inc.
           1175 E. Main, Suite 2F
Medford, OR 97504

     Phone: 800-866-8344
                email: info@wellness2000.com

Call us: 800-866-8344