Cold and Flu Prevention January 2018 Monthly Safety Topic TRM Team

We’re in the Thick of Sick Keeping ourselves, our staff and our customers safe this cold and flu season. TRM Team

Let’s Differentiate the Cold and the Flu The Common Cold Symptoms appear gradually Fever is rare Chills are uncommon Fatigue is mild Headaches are uncommon Body aches are slight Chest discomfort is mild to moderate Coughing usually produces phlegm Sneezing is common Stuffy nose is common Vomiting/diarrhea are rare Are caught year round Symptoms appear within 3-6 hrs. Fever is usually present, but not always and it can’t be used as an indicator Chills are common Fatigue is moderate to severe Headaches are common Body aches are common and severe Chest discomfort is often sever Coughing is usually dry and unproductive Sneezing is uncommon and so is a stuffy nose Vomiting/diarrhea are occasionally present Usually occurs during colder months TRM Team

What do they have in common? They are both respiratory illnesses They are both caused by viruses (although the viruses are different) Often it is impossible to tell the difference. TRM Team

What is a Cold then? The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system (nose, throat, sinuses, Eustachian tubes, trachea, larynx, and bronchial tubes). Colds are contagious and can be transmitted from person to person. Colds have an incubation period of about one to seven days (time from infection to appearance of symptoms). A cold's duration (how long it lasts) is about seven to 10 days; however, depending upon the viral strain, it can last up to two weeks. Colds are considered mainly to be a mild respiratory illness. Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD TRM Team

The Flu? Influenza (commonly termed the flu) is a viral infection of the upper respiratory and/or lower respiratory system caused by influenza viruses. These viruses usually cause more serious symptoms in the respiratory system than cold-causing viruses. The flu is contagious, can be transmitted from person to person, and has an incubation period of about one to four days. The flu can become an intense and potentially fatal illness in some individuals. TRM Team

Causes The causes of the flu are mainly influenza viruses belonging to either influenza A or influenza B types of viruses. Type C isn’t as common. Rhinoviruses are usually the culprit in getting a cold. There are, in fact, over 200 types of viruses that can cause the common cold. TRM Team

Risk Factors Contact with a person who has either a cold or the flu -- especially contact with mucus membranes, saliva, and/or items that an infected person has touched (for example, towels, toothbrushes, and cups) Contact with other objects that may be touched by an infected person such as handrails, doorknobs, and other high-use items Risk is increased in individuals with compromised immune systems. In general, the young and the old are usually more susceptible to these viruses. Stress, smoking, and lack of sleep can increase your risk for getting these viral infections. Individuals who do not receive the yearly flu vaccine are more likely to risk getting infected with a flu virus; unfortunately, because of the huge number of viruses that may cause a cold, there is no vaccine available commercially against the cold viruses. TRM Team

Prevention Wash your hands Get your flu shot Avoid crowds Have you ever thought about how many people touched the door knob of the office you enter each day and don’t wash their hands after using the rest room? Ewwwww… Wash your hands Get your flu shot Avoid crowds Be mindful of objects and items that may have been touched by multiple people Cover your sneezes and coughs to protect others Avoid handshakes, go for the fist bump TRM Team

Unfortunately… There is no vaccine for the common cold. There are far too many variants to allow for a way to predict and fight so many methods. Our best choice is to follow the same practices as you would in flu avoidance, save getting a shot. TRM Team

Who knew the “Dab” was just a hygienic workplace practice? More Flu Information It incubates for 1 to 4 days It is highly contagious and commonly lasts up to 14 days It is spread directly and indirectly-so it’s critical to become a hand washing champion during flu season Airborne droplets from sneezes and coughs travel way farther then most people realize, so cover yourself TRM Team

Continued Although most people recover within two weeks, it is possible for more sever symptoms to develop such as pneumonia. Pneumonia can be life threatening. The flu can make chronic health problems worse Much of the illness and death caused by conventional or seasonal influenza can be prevented by annual influenza vaccination. Influenza A undergoes frequent antigenic changes that require new vaccines to be developed and people to obtain a new vaccination every year. New vaccine technology is being developed TRM Team

Continued… In April 2009, a new flu virus termed novel H1N1 swine flu developed in Mexico, rapidly spread worldwide, and caused the WHO to declare a flu pandemic. Eventually, the WHO declared the pandemic over in 2010. In 2012, a new type of flu strain developed, H3N2v, but has not developed into any epidemic situations currently. Effectiveness of the flu vaccine varies year to year because strains causing flu also vary yearly. Like the influenza virus, drug treatments are constantly changing and improving, but currently, timely vaccination is still considered to be the best defense against the flu. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers antiviral drugs an important adjunct to the flu vaccine in the control of the disease process. TRM Team

Catch it Early If you are experiencing two or more of the symptoms we spoken about, speak to your doctor, preferably within the first 12 to 48 hours of feeling ill. Any antiviral medications prescribed to you are most effective if used within the first 12 to 48 hours of the onset of flu symptoms. Get the flu shot if recommended by your doctor. TRM Team

Summing it all up Wash your hands Get your flu shot Avoid crowds Be mindful of objects and items that may have been touched by multiple people Cover your sneezes and coughs to protect others Avoid handshakes, go for the fist bump And oh yeah, wash your hands TRM Team

Questions? TRM Team