Flu Season: How To Prepare Yourself
This year is a particularly ugly flu season, and everyone seems to be getting sick. I’ve been lucky so far and a few days ago, I finally found the time to go get my flu shot. Well, I’m am so thankful I did; today, several people on our floor went home with flu-like symptoms.
As a busy real estate agent, I know that it can be extremely difficult to find the time to schedule your flu shot, let alone take an hour or so out of your day to actually go get it, but it’s so extremely important. I was unfortunate enough to contract the seasonal flu last year, and remembering how awful it was became the motivation to get my shot.
I saw the advertisements on TV about Walgreens providing flu shots, and that’s where I stopped in to get mine out of convenience. With insurance coverage, I paid $11.00 and I only waited 30 minutes. I asked the pharmacist who administered the shot what the average wait time was, and she said they do everything they can to make sure people get in and out in 30 minutes; I told her they should market their flu shot service that way! I asked the pharmacy tech how much the shot is without insurance coverage, and it costs $24.99, which is less than the cost of my co-pay to see my primary care provider. All in all, Walgreens is a convenient, fast way to protect yourself from the flu without breaking the bank.
If you live in the Las Cruces area, Memorial Medical Center will be administering free flu vaccinations in the parking lot off of Telshor from 8 am to noon on Saturday, October 10th.
The H1N1 vaccination is not yet available in New Mexico, but according to the Walgreens pharmacy, the first wave is expected to arrive here in the next two or three weeks, and the priority receivers are children and young adults aged 5-24 because of the severity of symptoms in that age range. The first confirmed case of the swine flu was a 20 year-old female NMSU student living off campus, who has since recovered from it.
In the mean time, there are everyday things you can do to protect yourself and your family from spreading and receiving the flu. Washing your hands is the easiest and most effective way to help stop the spreading of bacteria and viruses; you have probably noticed that anti-bacterial hand gels are available in most public places. This applies to more than the flu; it’ll help you avoid strep throat, the common cold, and others. Keep a small bottle in your car or purse and you’re protected everywhere you go.
Covering your mouth when you cough and sneeze is also largely beneficial to you and those around you. If you do feel sick, stay home from work for a few days until you feel better; most employers are well aware of the nation-wide flu epidemic and are being lenient with their employees who have flu symptoms. Staying home and resting up also means you’ll get better faster. Try to get to the doctor as soon as possible; if you did contract the swine flu, it’s very important that your symptoms are under control and your case is documented.
I hope everyone protects themselves against all the ugly things going around and is able to enjoy the beautiful change of seasons.
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Evelyn Bruder: CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO, Las Cruces Cyberstar
The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team http://www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com
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