There are two types of influenza you have been hearing about: the novel A(H1N1) influenza (also called swine flu) and the seasonal influenza. What does all this mean for you and your family? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend the following to reduce your chances of getting any type of influenza:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Put used tissues in a waste basket.
• Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve if you don't have a tissue.
• Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing. Use soap and water or alcohol-based cleaner.
• Stay at home if you are sick. (This doesn’t mean go to the store, etc. It means stay home!)

It is always a good idea to practice good health habits: eat a balanced diet, exercise on a regular basis, and get plenty of rest.

For more information on how to protect you and your family, see the following websites:

• http://www.flu.gov - This website provides access to U.S. Government H1N1, avian and pandemic flu information.
• http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/ - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) H1N1 Flu Website. The (CDC) updates this webpage on an regular basis with the number of reported cases in the U.S.
  
• http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ - CDC guidance for those traveling
• http://www.foh.dhhs.gov/ - Federal Occupational Health (FOH) – H1N1/Swine Flu News
• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – Planning for Pandemic Influenza – May 2009
• http://www.who.int/en/ - World Health Organization (WHO) H1N1 Flu page