Spread of Flu - FAQs:

Please note that there is more than one strain of the flu virus, thus, persons with the flu should not be sharing food, utensils and drinks to avoid getting reinfected with a new strain.

Persons with the flu should throw away tissues and other disposable items used by them in the trash. They should wash their hands after touching used tissues and similar waste.

Keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately. However, importantly, these items should not be shared without washing throoughly first. Wash linens (such as bed sheets and towels) using household laundry soap and tumble dry on a hot setting. Avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating yourself. Clean your hands with and water or alcohol-based hand rub right after handling dirty laundry.

Wash eating utensils either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

The main way that influenza viruses are thought to spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. (This is called "droplet spread.") This can happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person are propelled through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. Influenza viruses may also be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose (or someone else’s mouth or nose) before washing their hands.

Linens, eating utensils, and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but importantly these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first. Linens (such as bed sheets and towels) should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry on a hot setting. Individuals should avoid “hugging” laundry prior to washing it to prevent contaminating themselves. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water immediately after handling dirty laundry. If soap and water are not available, they should use an alcohol-based hand rub* to clean their hands. Eating utensils should be washed either in a dishwasher or by hand with water and soap.

Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than seven days. Symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some persons can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons may still spread the virus to others.

The CDC publishes a weekly influenza surveillance report, called the FluView. Each week information is made avaiable on the flu activity in the US. Several types of flu viruses can be active at any time, usually starting in week 40 of the year.

Information in FluView includes the following:

• Summary of Select Surveilance Components
• US Virologic Surveilance
• Pneumonia and Influenza Hospitalization and Death Tracking
• Antigenic Characterization
• Antivial Resistance
• Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality Surveillance
• Influenza-Associated Pediatric Mortality
• Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations
• Outpatient Illness Surveillance
• Geographic Spread of Influenza as Assessed by State and Territorial Epidemiologists

Also, see:

• International Situation Update

Studies have shown that influenza (flu) viruses can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for up to 2 to 8 hours after being deposited (left) on surfaces like dining area tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination (tainted) from these common surfaces.

Businesses should take the steps below to keep employees from getting sick with flu.

• Promote vaccination. Encourage all employees to get vaccinated for seasonal flu. Review the health benefits you offer your employees and consider including flu vaccination. If possible, you should offer seasonal flu vaccination opportunities at the worksite.
   
• Advise all employees to stay home if they are sick until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating). This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medicines (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen). They should stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, even if they are using antiviral medicines. Businesses should review their policies and practices to consider ways to allow flexibility for employees to stay home when they are sick.
   
• Encourage hand cleanlinessby providing
  • education and reminders about washing their hands, and
  • easy access to running water and soap or alcohol-based hand cleaners.

See the CDC handwashing video.

• Encourage "respiratory etiquette"by providing
  • education and reminders about covering coughs and sneezes with tissues, and
  • easy access to tissues and trash cans.
     
• Routinely clean surfaces and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact with cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas. Additional disinfection beyond routine cleaning is not recommended.
   
• Address travel concerns. Provide information to employees overseas about what to do if they become sick.

Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. When a human is infected with a flu virus that normally circulates in pigs, this virus is called a “variant virus” because it is different from seasonal influenza viruses. These infections are most likely to occur when people are close to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs.

Human-to-human transmission of variant flu viruses also has occurred, though this method of spread is limited. This kind of transmission is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu transmits in people, which is mainly through coughing or sneezing by people who are infected. People also may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

It’s important to note that in most cases, variant flu viruses have not shown the ability to spread easily and sustainably from person-to-person.