Influenza (Flu) Prevention Guide

Departmental Occupational Health and Safety Program

August 2019 - Version 1.0

  • 1. Overview

    This guide includes information and links to websites, which provide advice about protecting workers from influenza in the workplace. While each workplace is unique, and a worker’s risk for occupational exposure to influenza can vary widely depending on the nature of their job, workplaces should:

    • Promote influenza vaccination among workers.
    • Encourage proper hand and respiratory hygiene practices.
    • Educate workers on influenza signs and symptoms.
    • Inform workers on what to do if they get sick.
  • 2. Quick facts

    Influenza, often called the flu, is an infection of the upper airway caused by the influenza virus. Symptoms can be mild to severe. The most common symptoms include high fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pains, headache, coughing, sneezing, and feeling tired.

    Getting sick with influenza also puts you at risk of other infections. These include viral or bacterial pneumonia, which affect the lungs. Complications from influenza can be life threatening. Seniors 65 years and older, very young children, and people who have lung or heart diseases, certain chronic health conditions, or weakened immune systems are at greater risk of complications from influenza.

    Healthy pregnant women in the second half of their pregnancy are at greater risk of hospitalization following infection with influenza virus.

    In Canada, thousands of people have been hospitalized and have died from influenza and its complications during years with widespread or epidemic influenza activity.

    • 2.1. Preventing Influenza (General)

      Good Health Habits Can Stop Germs

      In Canada, the type of influenza that people will most encounter is the seasonal influenza (Flu) Type B, and the best way to prevent this type of flu is to be vaccinated each year. Good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu. There also are flu treatments that exist to treat and prevent flu. The tips and resources below will help you learn about steps you can take to protect yourself and others from flu and help stop the spread of germs, and avoid possible contagion and pandemic.

      Cold or flu: know the difference / know the flu facts

      1. Get Vaccinated

      The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. There are several flu vaccine programs in all Canadian provinces and regions..

      1. Avoid close contact

      Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

      1. Stay home when you are sick

      If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.

      1. Cover your mouth and nose

      Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu and other serious respiratory illnesses, like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are spread by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands.

      1. Clean your hands

      Proper hands washing technique will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

      1. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

      Germs are often spread when a person touches something contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

      1. Practice other good health habits

      Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

      Note: Everyday preventive actions, like non pharmaceutical interventions, are actions that apart from getting vaccinated or taking medicine, people and communities can take to help slow the spread of illnesses like influenza (flu).

    • 2.2. Preventing Influenza in the Workplace
      • Routinely clean frequently touched objects and surfaces, including doorknobs, keyboards, and phones, to help remove germs.
      • Ask your manager what tasks could be done from home if teleworking is available, in case you or a family member gets sick and you have to stay home.
      • If you begin to feel sick while at work, inform your manager, and go home as soon as possible.

      Learn more about how you can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like flu at work: Flu Prevention at Work.

    • 2.3. Preventing Influenza Working Abroad (Regular & Business Travel)
      • Get Vaccinated (Travel vaccinations).
      • Get a pre-travel individual health assessment from a travel health clinic or your health care provider
      • Consult the Canadian’s Guide to Healthy Travel Abroad
      • Wash your hands often
      • Routinely clean frequently touched objects and surfaces, including doorknobs, keyboards, and phones, to help remove germs.
      • If you begin to feel sick while at work, inform your manager, and go home/hotel room as soon as possible.
      • See a health care provider immediately if you become ill with fever.
      • If you become sick or if symptoms of influenza conditions worsen while abroad and you’re still sick when returning to Canada, tell a flight attendant or border services officer upon arrival.

      If you develop influenza symptoms after returning, see a health care provider. Explain where you’ve been travelling or living and what, if any, treatment or medical care you’ve received.

    • 2.4. Preventing Influenza at School (For Your Children)
      • If possible, educate your children to routinely clean frequently touched objects and surfaces, and the hand wash technique.
      • For very young children, find out if your child’s school, childcare program routinely cleans frequently touched objects and surfaces, and if they have a good supply of tissues, soap, tissues, soap, paper.
      • Find out about the influenza plan your child’s school or childcare program has, if an outbreak of flu or another illness occurs and whether flu vaccination is offered on-site.
      • Provide alcohol-based hand sanitizer bottle, or disposable hand sanitizer wipes to your children.

      Note: chances of getting influenza double when you become a parent.

      Learn more about how you can help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like flu transmitted by your children: It's flu season.

    • 2.5. Material for Promoting Influenza Prevention
    • 2.6. Other Influenza Types and Prevention Tips
  • 3. References