Eric Cohen Student Health Services

Flu Update

Care for Others

Steps to Lessen the Spread of Flu in the Home

When providing care to a household member or roommate who is sick with influenza, the most important ways to protect yourself and others who are not sick are to:

Keep the sick person away from other people as much as possible; especially others who are at high risk for complications from influenza
If close contact cannot be avoided, the sick person should wear a facemask when he or she is around healthy people.
Remind the sick person to cover their coughs, and clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after coughing and/or sneezing.
Have everyone in the household clean their hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. Children may need reminders or help keeping their hands clean.
Consult your health care provider if household contacts of the sick person have any underlying health condition(point to When to Seek Help) that might put them at increased risk of complications from the flu. Ask if they should take antiviral medications to prevent the flu.

Avoid close contact (within 6 feet) with household members who are sick with influenza. If close contact with a sick individual is unavoidable, the patient should wear a facemask. If the patient cannot wear a facemask, the caregiver should consider wearing a facemask. Infants should not be cared for by sick family members. For more information, see the Interim Recommendations for Facemask and Respirator Use, provided by the CDC. For more details on how to care for ill household members and lessen the spread of flu in your home visit (including information about facemask use and effective cleaning strategies) consult the CDC guidance for homecare.

Flu Update

Care for Others

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