Spread joy, not germs when you are attending Christmas parties or visiting family and friends this season.
Two people with laboratory-confirmed influenza have already been hospitalized this season in the south zone and Alberta Health Services is dispensing advice on how to limit the spread of illness during the festive season.
According to the influenza data released by AHS last week, this season there have been 668 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza A and B, with 85 of those being in the south zone that includes Medicine Hat.
Across the province, 129 people have had to be hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza.
A total of 1.1 million doses of influenza vaccine have been administered this season.
“While this is a good start, hundreds of thousands of Albertans remain without protection against influenza,” states an AHS press release. “Influenza vaccine continues to be offered to all Albertans (six months of age and older), free of charge.”
Influenza immunization is available through many pharmacists and physicians’ offices around the province.
In addition to getting immunized to reduce the risk of influenza, here are some things you can do to prevent the spread of germs and illness, according to AHS:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing. If you don’t have a tissue, always cough or sneeze into your arm, not into your hands.
Wash your hands thoroughly and often with soap and warm water after coughing, sneezing, using tissues or the washroom, and before eating or preparing foods.
Keep hands and fingers away from your eyes, nose and mouth. If you are ill do not prepare food for anyone else while you are sick. When you are sick stay home from work, school, social obligations and visiting anyone in care facilities.
