Flu facts

Did you know you could spread the flu virus a day before you develop symptoms? Get more flu info with this list compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and make sure to see our Vaccine Q & A for more information on the benefits of getting vaccinated this flu season.

• Flu is responsible for approximately 22 million missed school days each year.
• Five to twenty percent of Americans get the flu every year, causing around 200,000 hospitalizations.
• The flu virus can survive up to 72 hours on surfaces like doorknobs and desks. (As a preventative measure, Clorox recommends using Clorox® disinfecting products to help kill 99.9% of the flu virus* found throughout your house.)
• Adults can spread the flu virus up to a day before developing symptoms and 3 to 7 days after symptoms start. Children can pass on the virus even longer.
• Antibiotics are only designed to kill bacteria, so they can’t cure the flu virus. The best medicine is plenty of rest and a lot of liquids. And if your illness gets worse, be sure to see your doctor.
• A recent study found a strain of the flu virus was present on 60% of common household items in homes with just one sick kid. Clorox® disinfecting products are designed to kill the cold and flu viruses* that many cleaners cannot.
• Did you know? The 2010 — 2011 flu vaccine is designed to protect against H1N1 and two other viruses that research indicates will cause the most illnesses during flu season. There is no need to get a separate H1N1 flu vaccine this season.

Source: paraphrased from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov

*Use as directed on hard, nonporous surfaces. See labels for organisms.