Influenza: the right actions to protect yourself

The end-of-year celebrations are a particularly conducive to the spread of epidemics. And influenzais no exception. The virus has already taken up residence in the thirteen metropolitan areas. The most at risk of contamination are mostly the elderly, who represent around two thirds of hospitalizations, underlines the General Directorate of Health in a press release. The Regional Health Agencies (ARS) have been commissioned by the Ministry of Health to make establishments caring for the elderly aware of measures to prevent and control seasonal flu. The directors of these establishments are invited to relaunch the vaccination of the residents and to beat the reminder of the recommendations for the personnel concerning the good gestures to adopt.

The right steps to protect yourself against the flu

What exactly are they? The General Directorate of Health recalls the precautions to be taken to limit the risk of contamination by the influenza virus:

• Avoid close contact with the person with the flu, especially if you are over 65, have a chronic illness, or are pregnant;
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or with a hydro-alcoholic solution;
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing;
• Use single-use paper tissues and throw them away;
• If you have signs of flu (fever, cough, body aches, fatigue, etc.), contact your doctor (if necessary, dial 15).

Another effective protective measure against the flu remains the vaccination. If the vaccine takes 15 days on average to act, there are a few days left to be vaccinated, points out the Ministry of Health.

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Your vulnerability to the flu depends on your year of birth