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Spread Cheer Not Flu Germs this Holiday Season

  • Published
  • By TRICARE.mil Staff
  • Communications Division, Defense Health Agency
FALLS CHURCH, Va. --  This time of year, people are out and about spreading holiday cheer – and their germs. During the holidays, many people neglect their health and forget to take actions to keep themselves safe from the flu virus. 

At holiday parties, everyone is smiling and hugging or shaking hands.  Many forget the basic rule for staying healthy: wash hands frequently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends washing with soap and warm water, but an alcohol-based hand sanitizer works in a pinch. There is a right and wrong way to wash hands—it's not simply sticking them under running water.  Find proper hand washing techniques on the CDC website. 

The best way to avoid getting the flu is to get the annual flu vaccine. TRICARE covers the flu shot and FluMist®. Beneficiaries may be able get their flu vaccine, at no cost, from a military treatment facility, hospital or from a pharmacist at a TRICARE retail pharmacy that administers vaccines. Find a participating pharmacy online, or by calling Express Scripts at 1-877-363-1303. 

During the holiday season, stores are crowded and it’s difficult to avoid contact with those who may have the flu. They may not show symptoms, but can still spread germs. According to the CDC, the time for the virus to grow and reach full strength is one to four days, with a two day average. Adults shed the influenza virus from the day before symptoms start and for five to ten days after they get sick. 

Anyone with flu symptoms should stay home. Going to work or other public places increases the risk of spreading the virus. To prevent the virus from spreading at home, assign one as “caretaker: of the sick person and one room as the “sick” room. 

Going into the holiday season, many people in the United States remain unprotected and are more likely to get the flu.   Get vaccinated early, wash hands frequently, and avoid sick people. May sure your holiday season is enjoyable and free of the flu. For more on preventing and treating the flu, visit the TRICARE website.