Protect Yourself From Flu This Season
Written by Andrew-Rossi on December 12, 2017
Flu activity reports in the state are beginning to show growing numbers of illnesses.
Reggie McClinton, a Department of Health epidemiologist, says that as of right now, flu reports are coming in most frequently from the southwestern part of Wyoming, but that doesn’t mean that Park County residents should not be concerned.
Influenza is a contagious, respiratory illness caused by a virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and muscle aches. The Wyoming Department of Health warns that this flu season’s peak is still a ways off, and it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
The Department of Health recommends flu shots annually for nearly everyone over the age of six months, and points out that it takes about two weeks for flu vaccines to offer protection. Bill Crampton, Nursing Supervisor for the Park County Public Health Office, says there are still several doses left of the flu vaccine in the Park County Health offices.
But Crampton points out that the best way to avoid getting the flu or other seasonal illnesses is to use basic common sense hygiene.
Common-sense measures such as covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve or a tissue when you sneeze and cough; frequently washing your hands; and staying home from work, school, day care and errands when you are ill can help slow or prevent the spread of influenza.
