How to stay healthy this flu season

Flu season is in full swing.

This season will probably not be as bad as last year, said Sandy Dearth, director of the Center for Public Health Practice in the Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health.

"Typically, we don't see two bad flu seasons back-to-back," Dearth said. "We could have a new strain pop up that we weren't expecting, so that could change things for us."

The State of Indiana reports minimal influenza activity.

To keep family members from getting sick, tried and true methods for staying healthy still apply.

"Make sure the kids are following proper hand hygiene as usual, covering a cough, washing hands often, especially when sneezing," Dearth said. "Now's a good time to remember to check you know where the thermometer is, because a lot of other respiratory illnesses are going around."

It's not too late to get a flu shot. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends anyone six months or older get vaccinated each year.

Vaccinations don't just protect children, Dearth said. It's also beneficial for households with an elderly or an immunocompromised family member.

Last year, more than 600 people of all ages died, Indiana reported. Two people over 65 have died from the flu this year.

"We know that children often spread respiratory illnesses pretty well," Dearth said. "So, vaccinating that child can help cut down their risk of getting flu, and then they're less likely to spread it to a loved one in the household."

Flu symptoms include a cough, runny nose and aching muscles. The Centers for Disease and Control said not everyone with the flu will have a fever, though it's also a common symptom.

Unlike a cold, the flu tends to come with nausea and vomiting, Dearth said.

If your child is sick, she said it's best to keep them home.

"Please keep them home for at least 24 hours after the fever subsides, just to stop the spread in the school settings," Dearth said.

Antiviral medication could also be an option.

"If you do think it's flu and you seek medical care, you can still get an antiviral for flu, and that does seem to shorten the length that you're sick," Dearth said. "That's a conversation you could have with your healthcare provider, a pediatrician."