Vaccines are everyone’s best shot at preventing the spread of the infectious respiratory illnesses and preventing serious complications even though they’re not 100% effective at preventing all cases of illness. It takes a few weeks for your body to produce a full immune response after getting a vaccine. This means that you are still vulnerable to catching these illnesses and spreading it to friends and family without realizing it.
Here are additional things you can do to help you lessen the risk of getting sick with a virus
- Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water
- Regularly clean surfaces in your home and in your work area
- Avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes, especially after touching commonly infected surfaces like door handles, light switches, and hand rails
- Avoid large crowds, and keep your distance from people who are showing symptoms like coughing and sneezing.
Sick? Stay home!
Watch out for these symptoms, and prevent the spread of infectious respiratory illnesses by staying home if you start to experience them:
- Sudden fever, cough, and muscle aches
- Headaches
- Chills
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Loss of appetite
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting – most common in kids.
Together, we can reduce the spread of the flu, RSV, pneumococcal pneumonia and COVID-19!
Questions about your breathing?
The Certified Respiratory Educators who staff our Lung Health Line can be reached by phone (1-888-344-LUNG), email (info@lunghealth.ca), or chat at lunghealth.ca: