Published: November 05, 2008 12:58 pm         

In case of flu, ounce of prevention worth pound of cure

Health Watch by Sherry Mullenix

The North Jefferson News



There is a new term in the work place today: “presenteeism.”

This is a new term assigned to workers who report to work while sick. Now, I don’t think everyone wants to go to work sick, but with the struggling economy today, employers are tightening their restrictions on paid leave and sick days.

The concern is that workers just can’t afford to miss a day’s pay. The employee is simply too ill to perform his task at work or performs well below his usual level of productiveness.

Add to the fact that the sick individual is exposing co-workers to his ailments and the problem just begins to snowball. It is estimated that presenteeism costs the US economy as much as $250 billion annually and it is rising.

Influenza is one of the leading causes of presenteeism. Each year as many as 1 in 3 (97.9 million) Americans get the flu. Even with these high numbers, a large percentage of these individuals attempt to continue performing their normal daily activities while infected with the flu virus.

It’s important to realize that you can infect others during a time period stretching from the day before any symptoms appear to up to five days after, and children can remain infectious for up to 10 days.

If you think you have the flu, the information box lists symptoms that warrant the consideration of staying at home: fever, achy joints, persistent cough, severe sore throat, vomiting and bright red eyes with discharge.

If your symptom list consists of the following: mildly stuffy or runny nose, mild sore throat, slight earache, sinus infection or dry cough, then most likely going about your normal duties will not infect others.

Many people confuse the symptoms of a common cold with the symptoms of the flu.



Flu prevention

Taking active steps to avoid the flu is much better than any cure. There are ways to prevent or minimize the risk of the flu, the best being vaccination.

Flu vaccination is up to 90 percent effective in preventing influenza in healthy adults and children. It is important to be aware that it can take up to two weeks for protection to develop after the vaccination.

The best time to get the vaccination is in October or November, but there are still benefits to getting vaccinated later in the year since our flu season can extend as late as March.

Other ways to minimize the risk include:

• Wash your hands frequently: Also, avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth, which can hasten the spread of the disease.

• Stay healthy: Get adequate sleep, eat a well-balanced diet, manage stress and engage in regular physical activity. A strong immune system goes a long way in fighting an invading virus.

• Protect yourself and others: Avoid close contact with individuals who are sick. Close your mouth when you cough. Cover your nose and mouth with your sleeve or a tissue if you sneeze or cough. Throw the tissues away immediately.

The problem with the flu is that it not only makes you sick, but it also has a high negative impact on the economy and society in terms of lost profits and productivity stemming from absenteeism and especially presenteeism.

By taking steps to implement the flu-prevention strategies outlined above, you may effectively reduce these costs, while making your workplace healthier and more productive for those with whom you come in contact.

Sherry Mullenix (J.D., R.N.) co-owns The Pharmacy in Mount Olive with her husband, Steve Mullenix (R.Ph). They can be reached at 631-1201.