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Although it night not feel like winter to most Cincinnati-area residents, the time to prevent the flu is now.

Winter may have been mild thus far, but the flu is known to peak in February, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Long days on campus, temptations to eat fatty foods and the on-again, off-again freezing temperatures can lead to potential health hazards for students.

Common symptoms of this viral infection include fever, muscle aches, chills, sudden and extreme tiredness, and coughing.

“People with the flu can spread it to others up to six feet away,” according to the CDC.

Droplets produced when people cough or sneeze land on surfaces commonly touched by others and this becomes another way the virus spreads.

“We see the flu spread [during the winter months] because people are indoors, gathered in confined spaces,” said Richard Merz, public information officer for the Cincinnati Board of Health.
“This can be seen with students, particularly, in places like the dorms or cafeteria.”

“The flu shot is extremely effective in preventing the flu, not only for yourself but to protect the spread in general,” Merz said.

Aside from the shot, Merz is an advocate of hand washing and using alcohol-based hand sanitizer as a preventative measure.
Limiting the weekend alcohol consumption, skin exposure to cold weather and a well-balanced diet to ensure the retrieval of nutrients is equally essential, he said.

The flu shot is offered at Walgreens, CVS, University of Cincinnati Health Services and the Cincinnati Health Department.

Walgreens pharmacist Darrel Dunker recommends walking in any time. The pharmacy located at 1 West Corry St. and accepts patients 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and accepts most insurance plans.
There are also options for those who are uninsured, Dunker said.

“At this location, we have been given some vouchers for free flu shots for people who cannot afford the shot,” he said of flu vaccinations, which last for one year.

“I prefer to give the shot as opposed to the nasal-spray flu vaccine because the shot is a dead vaccine; it’s a killed or inactive vaccine,” Dunker said.

Independent of vaccines and anti-bacterial items, both Merz and Dunker agreed an influx of vitamins such as vitamin C and D, as well as a nutritional diet can help to strengthen your immune system.

The most accessible piece of advice each offered was to wash your hands whenever possible.