Prevention is in your hands

By planning ahead and making smart decisions, we can protect ourselves against bad luck. We can carry an umbrella to avoid getting wet on rainy days. We can look both ways before crossing the street. And we can safeguard our health by getting vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19.

Prevention is the best policy

You can help prevent illness by stopping the spread of germs. When you’re out in public, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. If you’re having cold symptoms, avoid going out except to get medical care. Keep your home clean and safe by disinfecting any surfaces you touch often. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Whether you’re sick or not, wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. Scrub for at least 20 seconds.

Get vaccinated

Safe, effective vaccines are available for both COVID-19 and the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention* (CDC) recommends everyone six months and older get vaccinated against COVID-19. Everyone 5 years and older should get a COVID-19 booster if eligible. According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccines prevent severe disease and death from many variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.

The CDC recommends everyone 5 years and older get a booster shot after completing their primary vaccine series to strengthen their protection against COVID-19. People who had the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine should get a booster shot five months after their initial vaccinations. Those who received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen single-dose vaccine can get a booster after two months. Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen booster is not authorized for those ages 6 months to 17 years.

You can also prevent illness by getting your flu shot each year. The CDC recommends annual flu vaccines for everyone age 6 months and up, with rare exceptions. According to the CDC, flu vaccination prevents millions of cases of flu sickness and thousands of flu-related deaths each year. Recent studies found the vaccine prevented serious illness for people who caught the flu even after getting the flu shot.

Visit www.vaccines.gov to find a COVID-19 or flu vaccine near you.

Proper use of antibiotics

Antibiotics can treat infections caused by bacteria, such as strep throat. However, they don’t work on viruses like COVID-19 or the flu. Experts are worried about the overuse of antibiotics. Over time, bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics. This will make it harder for doctors to treat infections.

If you have a bacterial infection that would respond to antibiotics, talk with your doctor about whether you should take them. If you do, use them as directed. Don’t use antibiotics for viral infections.

Protect yourself and your community by getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu. Eliminate germs by practicing healthy hygiene and washing your hands frequently. Together, we can stop the spread.

*The CDC is an independent organization that offers health information you may find helpful. This contains a link to a third-party website. The CDC is responsible for the content and privacy policy on its site.