Flu: How to avoid it or recover from it

With the United States in the throes of one of the worst flu outbreaks in years, health care experts say there are ways you can fight back and protect yourself from the virus.

And the best protection is a flu shot -- even now.

The good news is that this year's vaccine is an excellent match for the strains of influenza circulating.

The not-so-great news is that the vaccine takes about two weeks to become fully effective in your body. And even people who have been vaccinated can contract the flu virus, though this is uncommon.

The predominant strain so far this year is H3N2, and doctors note that when H3N2 dominates, they tend to see more severe illness among children and the elderly.

For those who haven't yet had a flu shot -- and even for those who have -- there are other simple precautions people can and should take to minimize the chances of contracting what's turning out to be an especially infectious and unpleasant illness.

First and foremost is to wash your hands, said nurse Kristen Lawton, director of the emergency department at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y. "If you can't use soap and water," she said, use a hand sanitizer.

The next best advice is to avoid touching your face with your hands. "I tell my kids to keep their hands away from the holes in their head," she said. "Don't be touching your eyes, nose or mouth because there are germs on your hands."

Seemingly safe surfaces like kitchen counters, desks, refrigerator door handles and computer keyboards also may harbor the flu virus for hours -- sometimes as long as 48 hours, according to the Mayo Clinic. Make sure these are kept clean, Lawton counseled.

If you have to cough or sneeze, do so into a tissue or into the crook of your elbow -- not into the air, where droplets can easily infect people near you. Droplets from a vigorous cough can travel at 60 mph, Graham said.

If you start to feel sick, stay home because people are contagious a day before they get symptoms and four days after those symptoms disappear, Lawton said.

The drug Tamiflu won't prevent the flu, but it will shorten the course of the illness, Lawton said. Other than that, your best bet is to rest, drink lots of fluids and take an over-the-counter pain reliever, she said.