Every holiday season millions of Americans travel to visit family and friends, often through crowded airports, train stations and bus terminals. Special holiday gatherings, and the traveling itself, brings people close together, but also provides an ideal way for illnesses to spread. This holiday season take these everyday actions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help protect your health and the health of loved ones:
·         Stay home when sick. Travel only when you feel well.
·         Get vaccinated for both the seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 influenza.
·         Wash hands often with soap and warm water for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub, rubbing hands until the gel is dry.
·         Cover nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after use. Clean your hands every time you cough or sneeze.
·         Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth, one way germs spread.
·         Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
·         If you are sick with flu-like illness, the CDC recommends staying home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone (except to get medical care or other necessities). The fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine. Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.
·         Studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for 2 to 8 hours after being deposited on the surface. To prevent the spread of germs, keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, bathroom surfaces, kitchen counters and children’s toys) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant.

Collin County residents are encouraged to get vaccinated prior to holiday travel and get-togethers, either by their primary physicians or at one of the 68 vaccine locations partnering with Collin County Health Care Services. H1N1 influenza vaccine is available to all Collin County residents for no charge while supplies last at seven locations, and for an administration fee at an additional 61 locations. Most insurance plans including Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, will reimburse the administrative fee.

All children less than 10 years old should get the CDC recommended two doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine approximately 28 days apart for the optimal immune response. Children less than 10 years old who have only received one dose of vaccine should still receive a second dose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine. When feasible, the same type of vaccine (inactivated, injectable; or live, attenuated, nasal spray vaccine) should be used, mixed schedules however, are preferable to not completing the series.

The seven locations where Collin County residents can receive the H1N1 vaccine for no charge, while supplies last, include: Children & Community Health Center of McKinney, Collin County Adult Clinic in Plano; Express Health in McKinney; and, PrimaCare locations in Frisco, McKinney, Plano and west Plano. The 61 Collin County locations currently providing H1N1 vaccinations for an administrative fee include: Celina Drug; Texas Star Pharmacy; two Passport Health locations; four Care Now locations; seven Albertsons Pharmacies; 11 Tom Thumb Pharmacies; 13 Kroger Pharmacies; and, 22 Walgreens Pharmacies.

For further information regarding local H1N1 vaccine availability, the public may utilize the following resources: the Collin County website at http://www.co.collin.tx.us/ and the Collin County Facebook and Twitter sites; the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Texas Flu Vaccine Locator at http://www.Texasflu.org; call the DSHS H1N1 information lines available by calling “2-1-1”; or, call the Collin County Health Care Services at (972) 548-5500.