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Flu season is coming,
and we've got the latest on what you should do to get ready.
In Part 2 of our series on flu,
medical editor Dr. Paul Little unravels the hype
and gives us just the facts, ma'am.
And the facts are we've got two different types of flu circulating this fall.
[Doctor] Deep breaths in and out.
One is the old familiar seasonal flu we see every fall...
Your whole body aches, and it's just a terrible thing.
...and the new 2009 H1N1 or swine flu that experts say so far isn't as bad as they thought.
This particular flu virus has not turned out, like I said, as best we know,
to be as severe as we were concerned.
But the CDC in Atlanta warns we should still be on the lookout.
And this new H1N1 virus is so different
that we don't think the general population is protected against it,
and we're taking extra steps to offer protection.
The best way to prevent the flu...
[patient] Ouch.
...get a flu shot.
Regular flu shots are available now, and officials say the swine flu shot
will be available sometime later this fall.
The next best thing to do...
Well, simple preventive medicine techniques:
washing your hands with warm soap and water.
Warm water works better than cold water at killing the germs.
Keep your hands away from your eyes and your mouth.
Stay away from other sick individuals
who appear to have a cold or upper respiratory infection.
And if you're sick, stay at home.
Don't comingle and spread your germs to others.
In our next edition we'll give you an update on the H1N1 vaccine availability
and more tips on how to stay healthy this fall.
Dr. Paul Little, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.