You would be surprised how many people do not cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze! Are you one of them? I know that no one is perfect, but during the flu season you especially have to be careful. I have even seen some public health students in my classes not covering their mouths! Seriously, we as public health students should know better. So please, cover your mouth, preferably not with your hands that you use to open the classroom door. You may be wondering: How does this relate to emergency preparedness? Well, if you get sick with the flu during finals week I think that definitely counts as an emergency!
Each year, approximately 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the seasonal flu. The flu virus is primarily spread through contact with respiratory droplets from infected individuals when they cough, sneeze, or even talk. So covering your mouth can prevent the spread of the flu. Another mode of prevention is getting the seasonal flu shot. Have you gotten your flu shot yet? I will make my own appointment within the next week! Getting sick certainly isn’t fun, especially when you are a busy college student with finals drawing near. So let’s keep campus healthier this flu season by getting our flu shot and by covering our mouths!
This video needs no explanation. Get a flu shot and cover your mouth!
Emergency Preparedness for College Students 
In Dr. West’s class we talked about how most people don’t really care about getting a flu shot or worry about even getting the flu because they feel that it will just last a couple days, and then they will just be over it from there on until the next year. How can we help people see the importance of avoiding the flu?
last year I had the chance to go to a jr. high school and teach them about the importance of handwashing in order to prevent the flu! We used glogerm and it really helped the kids to understand how effective it can be in getting rid of germs.
This makes me glad I got my flu shot already. I think when you sneeze, it hard to cover it up unless you use your sleeve; you don’t want to contaminate your hands and its not like you have a tissue on hand whenever a sneeze comes up randomly. I try to turn away from people or move away if possible, but that’s not always possible in class.
Wow, that movie is disgusting! The other day I saw just that walking to campus from a girl in front of me. When I see stuff like this, it is amazing how much our bodies can take! Thanks for the reminder to cover our coughs!
I’ve heard people get more sick from the vaccine because they react to it… is that possible? i’m worried to get vaccinated because I don’t ever get the serious seasonal flu but I don’t want to risk it, but also I don’t want to risk feeling sick from the shot.. ideas?
Oh and PLEASE wash your hands! With SOAP!!
I also have a question – where’s the cheapest place to get a flu shot? I know how worthwhile it is, but the thought of dishing out $25 to Walgreen’s for it is not really appealing.
I think people also think “other people get the flu, not me.” I have before, but getting sick really is no fun and if we can prevent it from happening, we should spend all our efforts that we can to do so. Thanks for the reminder!
Yeah! hand hygiene is very important in such situations.
I didn’t know the proper way to cover my cough until they put up these flyers around campus and until we talked about it in my public health classes. Good post. Thanks.
I usually cover my mouth when I sneeze but its with my hands… I know your not suppose to but its a habit that I need to break. I also usually don’t get the flu shot… but I know from what I have learned in my other classes it is a good thing to prevent this form happening.