Image copyright Food and Health Communications Welcome to our show about how to prevent the flu. Seasonal influenza is an acute viral infection caused by an influenza virus.

{ 1918: 40-50 million deaths 1957: 2 million deaths Pandemic Stats This is from WHO and shows the percentage of persons who tested positive for flu in a busy flu season month. Speaker – you can always update here: http://gamapserver.who.int/mapLibrary/app/searchResults.aspx An influenza pandemic is a rare but recurrent event. Three pandemics occurred in the previous century: “Spanish influenza” in 1918, “Asian influenza” in 1957, and “Hong Kong influenza” in 1968. The 1918 pandemic killed an estimated 40–50 million people worldwide. That pandemic, which was exceptional, is considered one of the deadliest disease events in human history. Subsequent pandemics were much milder, with an estimated 2 million deaths in 1957 and 1 million deaths in 1968. http://www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/pandemic10things/en/index.html A pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges and starts spreading as easily as normal influenza – by coughing and sneezing. Because the virus is new, the human immune system will have no pre-existing immunity. This makes it likely that people who contract pandemic influenza will experience more serious disease than that caused by normal influenza. { 1918: 40-50 million deaths 1957: 2 million deaths 1968: 1 million deaths Pandemic Stats

Simple guidelines to help you avoid getting or spreading the flu Flu Fighters Simple guidelines to help you avoid getting or spreading the flu Here are simple guidelines to help you avoid getting sick. Most people recover from fever and other symptoms within a week without requiring medical attention. But people who are high at risk can die. Image copyright Food and Health Communications

What is the flu? The flu is a contagious respiratory illness that is caused by various strains of a virus called influenza. Its symptoms include fever, headache, cough, body aches, and fatigue. The flu cannot be fixed with antibiotics -- it is not a bacterial infection. Seasonal influenza spreads easily and can sweep through schools, nursing homes or businesses and towns. When an infected person coughs, infected droplets get into the air and another person can breath them in and be exposed. The virus can also be spread by hands infected with the virus. Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Are You At High Risk? Severe illness or death for: children younger than age two, adults age 65 or older, and people of any age with certain medical conditions, such as chronic heart, lung, kidney, liver, blood or metabolic diseases (such as diabetes), or weakened immune systems. These are the people who are at the highest risk of death or very serious illness if they get the flu. If you are one of these people or you care for one be sure to get a flu shot early every year. WHO recommends annual vaccination for (in order of priority):nursing-home residents (the elderly or disabled)elderly individualspeople with chronic medical conditionsother groups such as pregnant women, health care workers, those with essential functions in society, as well as children from ages six months to two years.

So… what can you do about the flu? Influenza epidemics occur yearly during autumn and winter in temperate regions. Illnesses result in hospitalizations and deaths mainly among high-risk groups (the very young, elderly or chronically ill). Worldwide, these annual epidemics result in about three to five million cases of severe illness, and about 250 000 to 500 000 deaths. Most deaths associated with influenza in industrialized countries occur among people age 65 or older. In some tropical countries, influenza viruses circulate throughout the year with one or two peaks during rainy seasons. Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Step One Get a Flu Shot The flu shot is the number one prevention choice according to the World Health Organization. Visit flu.gov to find one nearest you. Image from http://www.easyvectors.com/

Vaccines Work! Among healthy adults, influenza vaccine can prevent 70% to 90% of influenza-specific illness. Among the elderly, the vaccine reduces severe illnesses and complications by up to 60%, and deaths by 80%. These stats are worldwide and from the WHO – the world health organization. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs211/en/index.html

Flu Shots for Everyone! Getting a flu shot is the BEST way to avoid getting the flu. Be sure to get one shot every year, preferably before December. If you get a flu shot in the fall, you can protect yourself from mutant strains of flu AND be sure that all the helpful antibodies are doing their job when flu season starts. Safe and effective vaccines have been available and used for more than 60 years! Image from http://www.easyvectors.com/gallery

The Flu Virus Master of Disguise The virus we know as the flu changes and mutates every year. All the mutations that the virus goes through mean that the flu shot you got last year might not be up to fighting the newest rounds of flu this year. Just because you had the flu once doesn’t mean you’ll never get it again -- this virus is a sneaky one and each mutation can get past existing antibodies in your system. Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of serious influenza complications, and for people who live with or care for high risk individuals. Image from http://www.easyvectors.com/gallery

The Flu Shot Keep your friends close and your antibodies closer A flu shot contains three different strains of influenza, all of which will help you avoid various types of flu. After you get a flu shot, your body begins producing specific antibodies to kill the flu virus. It will take two weeks for you to produce enough antibodies to effectively fight the flu. Influenza vaccination is most effective when circulating viruses are well-matched with vaccine viruses. Influenza viruses are constantly changing, and the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN), a partnership of National Influenza Centres around the world, monitors the influenza viruses circulating in humans. WHO annually recommends a vaccine composition that targets the three most representative strains in circulation.

Quick Quiz -- Flu Shots How many strains of influenza are in a flu vaccine? * One * Three * Two * Four True or false? -- You should get a flu shot every year. Answers – 3 strains, true Image from http://www.easyvectors.com/gallery

The flu vaccine is not perfect The flu vaccine is not perfect. It does not guarantee that you will not get the flu. That’s why you need to take other steps too. Steps like… There are more ways to stay healthy. Let’s take a look… Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Step Two Avoid Danger Zones The biggest danger zone is a sick person. The catch, though, according to WHO, is that the incubation period from time to exposure to getting sick is about 2 days. So you could be around someone who has the flu, but who doesn’t look like they have the flu. Image from http://www.easyvectors.com/gallery

Stay Away from Germs Friends don’t let friends catch their flu STAY AWAY FROM SICK PEOPLE! If you’re in an area with lots of germs, be sure to avoid touching your mouth, eyes, and nose. Touching those areas after touching a contaminated surface is one of the fastest ways to spread germs. Influenza can live on a surface for 2-8 hours after first contact. Don’t take any chances! Keep away from sick people as much as you can. If you are home with small children, keep them quarantined to one area and use paper plates and cups. Do not share eating utensils. Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Quick Quiz -- Danger Zones How long can an influenza virus live on a random surface? * 24 hours * 12 hours * 8 hours * 48 hours Be sure to avoid touching your * Mouth * Eyes * Nose * All of the above Answers: 8 hours, all of the above Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Step Three Wash Your Hands Handwashing is always a good idea to avoid the flu and many illnesses. Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Wash Your Hands Good things come to those who wash Wash your hands as often as is reasonably possible. Be sure to scrub your hands with soap for at least twenty seconds before rinsing them thoroughly. If counting to twenty is too boring, sing happy birthday to yourself twice. Singing quietly is recommended, but not required. Wash your hands before you eat and after you go to the bathroom. If you have been around a lot of people or shaking hands, wash your hands.

Hand Sanitizer Friend or Foe? If you don’t have access to running water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Hand sanitizers eliminate many germs, but they are not as effective as soap and water. Keep hand sanitizer in your desk, car or purse for times when you cannot get to a bathroom.

Quick Quiz -- Handwashing How many times should you sing happy birthday while washing your hands? * Once * Three times * Twice * Never sing in a bathroom How much of your hand sanitizer should be alcohol? * More than 60% * Less than 60% * 100% * None Answers: 2 X for Happy Birthday, More than 60% alcohol for hand sanitizer.

Step Four Adopt Healthy Habits Keeping yourself in tip top shape is always a good idea to avoid disease, whether it be seasonal flu or chronic disease.

Stay Healthy Your body is a temple. Make it a fortress. When you are tired, stressed, or not eating right, you are more likely to catch the flu than someone who is rested, relaxed, and eating healthy. Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Getting enough sleep, eating right, healthy weight, good diet, avoiding smoking or other unhealthy habits is all part of the big picture of health.

CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN! A friend who’s cleaned is a friend indeed Wash surfaces that are touched often -- that will stop germs from hanging out there. Remember to clean your doorknobs, keyboard, and desk! Keep your home and office clean.

Quick Quiz -- Healthy Habits In order to be less susceptible to the flu, you should get at least ___ hours of sleep per night. * Six * Eight * Ten * Twelve True or false? -- If you wash surfaces that you use regularly, you will be more likely to catch the flu. Answers: 8 hours, False

Step Five Stay Home If you are sick stay home!

Don’t Spread the Flu Home is where the sick stay If you do catch the flu -- stay home! Don’t expose your friends and coworkers to the virus. Stay home for at least a day after your fever goes away to make sure that no one else can get the flu from you. Avoid any errand outside of visiting your doctor’s office until you have recovered. It is a good idea to sequester family members who are sick to their rooms – use paper plates and cups if possible. Antiviral drugs for influenza are available in some countries and effectively prevent and treat the illness Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Cover Your Mouth In the case of coughs, sharing is NOT caring If you have to go out and about while you’re sick, be sure to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. The best thing to do is cough into a tissue. Then you can just throw it away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough into the crook of your elbow -- people are less likely to touch that. Keep tissues on hand at home and work for when you get sick. Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Quick Quiz -- Containment After your fever goes away, you are free to return to your normal activities after __ hours. * 24 * 12 * 36 * 48 If you have to cough or sneeze, do so into a… * Hand * Tissue * Foot * Stranger’s face Answers: 24, tissue

Summary Follow the five steps for fighting flu Keep everything clean. get a flu shot, avoid contamination, wash your hands as often as you can, adopt healthy habits, and stay home if you get sick. Keep everything clean. We hope you have learned a few things to help you and your family stay well this year. To stay on top of flu news, visit cdc.gov, flu.gov and who.org and search on the word flu. Image copyright Food and Health Communications

Step Six Just kidding -- we’re done! Do you have any questions? Now is the time to take questions.

Thank you for watching our show! Image copyright Food and Health Communications