what are you guys doing to prepare yourself for flu season? the weather got really cold here in dc today which makes me wonder if it's flu season now that fall is here! is anyone doing anything to prepare yourself for it- like shots/vaccines or getting kleenex anti-viral or special vitamins or anything?

We tend to get hit hard every season - my son has chronic health issues, and so is really susceptible to catching whatever is going around. It eventually makes the rounds to all of us!

Every fall I shop for "sick supplies". Basically, the food/liquids/meds we would need if a bad illness hit and getting out to the store would either be inadvisable or impossible. Typically, I get some gatorade, ginger ale, apple juice, saltines, broth, jello, applesauce....you get the idea, along with various cold meds, gravol, extras of DS's prescriptions, etc. As DS is in a high-risk category for catching H1N1 (and in an exceedingly high-risk category for complications were he to contract it), we're ultra-prepared this year. We want to be sure that if our area gets hit hard, we don't have to go out for essentials and risk exposure. I don't worry about it too much generally, but certainly if it were a very active flu in our area, I wouldn't want to take any chances where DS is concerned.

Sue -- I love that you call them "sick supplies"! I think that is a great idea though, to buy all your 'sick supplies' at once every fall and load up on all those things. Your list is pretty comprehensive!

That's lucky that the flu is not very active in your area yet! I've only heard of a couple people getting it here so far but I've been checking this flu tracker on battlethebug.com -- they have a map tracking flu around the country and man does it look scary - flu everywhere!

I know!! It's going to be a crazy fall/winter this year!! I'm already battling a cold....another hand-me-down from DS! Kids are such carriers!!

The great thing about all these supplies is that they're pretty much non-perishable, so it's not a waste if you wind up NOT needing everything...we just use whatever is left after flu season over the course of the rest of the year. It's one less worry, knowing if we got hit with something bad, that we wouldn't need to deal with going out to the store in the midst of it.

We're "takin' the D" this year. Some truly amazing information coming out that correlates your Vit D blood levels to your resistance to catching the flu!

I've read about the D connection too. My husband and I are popping 1000 I.U.s daily. Otherwise just getting our flu shots.

Number one: Hand washing.
Keeping hands out of eyes,nose, and mouth.

Staying away from anyone who is coughing/hacking all over the place.

Stay well everyone

We are all scheduled to get seasonal flu shots on Saturday. We all take vit D supplements, but I didn't even know there was a connection with flu prevention (will do some googling soon!). We are taking them because of the recent research that shows that folks living at our latitude tend to have a significant deficiency.

I will try to get my daughter an H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available, but I don't think DH or I will be considered high enough priority.

I'll consider adding Echinacea if we hear about a nearby outbreak. My understanding is that Echinacea is normally used for a short-term boost for the immue system. I usually only take it after I'm actually sick.

I'm not taking the flu shot or the H1N1 nasal spray. The later has not been tested and doctor's are divided on whether or not it's safe. I haven't had the flu except once 10 years ago. I'm lucky that I'm retired, live in a very small community and have very little exposure to crowds. If it becomes epidemic I will consider it. Last winter it was -24 here but I don't think cold is really related to catching a virus, unless you expose yourself and harm your immune system.

I have already had my flu vaccine.I am actually spending next week giving vaccines in a mobile flu clinic.Cant wait!!!I love to give shots

that's so funny that you love to give shots - i can't handle getting them, i certainly wouldn't like to give them to anyone else either!

I like ddc's post -- hand washing is number one. and i think using kleenex anti-viral is important too -- one thing i hate is that no matter how many precautions *I* take, other people can still spread germs to you! Like this morning on the train to work the person next to me was coughing and not really covering their mouth. I hate when that happens in public transportation, or at work, etc. But it's not exactly like you can give people kleenex and force them to use it!

Number one for me: hand washing and using hand sanitizer all of the time. I literally use it after every customer at work. I'm not taking any chances - the swine flu has hit pretty hard here, and I'm really paranoid right now. Especially because I work at the local GNC, and sick people are coming in for Elderberry, Echinacea, Vitamin C, and other things that are popular at the moment. I had a lady come in today with three family members sick with the swine flue. Yikes!

I don't sneeze or cough into my hands, instead covering my mouth with my arm. Saw something about that on TV. I'm keeping my hands away from my face and mouth, too.

I've never had a flu shot before, so I'm not sure about that yet. I don't normally get many shots or things, because I'm so.. paranoid. I've also never had a problem with major flus or anything. I had a bad case of mono once, but it wasn't life-threatening.

So mostly staying clean. I might start taking some supplements from the store.