It’s that time of year: flu season. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease.

While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine is designed to protect against the three main flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season.

Getting the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available each year is recommended and the protection you get from the vaccination will last throughout the flu season. 

Some tips to stop the spread of germs:
• Cover your cough: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve—not your hands.
• Put your used tissue in the waste basket.
• Clean your hands: wash with soap and water; or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner.
• Avoid handshaking and hugs.
• Don’t touch your nose, eyes or mouth with your fingers or hands; this just spreads the germs.
• Employees: Stay home if you are sick or running a fever to stop the spread of germs to others. The “germiest” places in the office are the phone, desktop, computer keyboard and mouse,
copy and fax machines, elevator buttons, and coffee pot handle, microwave buttons, sink area and table top in break rooms.