One day you’re perfectly fine; the next, you’re achy all over and your head is throbbing. It’s the annual ick, or as your doctor calls it, influenza.
While it’s impossible to predict just how severe the flu season will be each year, an estimated 52,000 people in the United States have already tested positive for the flu since September 2014. Typically, flu season peaks at the end of December through mid-January.
Catching the flu isn’t just hard on you; it’s bad for business. Companies shell out more than $10 billion a year for illness-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits, and that’s in addition to the $87 billion the flu costs the economy annually.
Still, research shows a few simple precautions can keep you from getting — and spreading — the flu:
Get your flu shot. A yearly flu shot is the single best way to protect yourself from the flu. With up to 56 percent of companies offering flu shot clinics for employees and most major pharmacies offering discounted vaccinations, it’s easy to take preventive measures.
Wash your hands and devices. Here’s a sobering statistic: 39 percent of people don’t wash their hands after sneezing, coughing or blowing their noses. That means your chances of touching a contaminated area are high. Since cold and flu viruses can live up to 24 hours on hard surfaces (like desks, counters or your computer) you should give your space, your electronic devices and your hands a good cleaning at least once a day.
Go home — and stay there! No one wants to be the walking petri dish responsible for making the entire office sick. Flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with the illness, cough, sneeze or talk. Furthermore, studies show that adults could be contagious one day before they experience symptoms and five to seven days after becoming sick.
Discover the ROI of relaxing. Have you ever worked through a cold only to find you’ve pushed yourself too far? One-third of people report feeling pressured to go into work when they’re sick, which in addition to spreading the virus wears you out. Take the time you need to recover and keep everyone else flu-free. You’ll find you’re more relaxed and productive if you let a little R&R support your company’s ROI.
