Flu fighters: Your guide to beating the bug

School’s underway and kids have already started bringing home coughs and sneezes. Soon, we'll be heading into flu season. Before it arrives and you start feeling a little off—with those aches, that awful cough and a nagging tickle in your throat—consider getting vaccinated. 

Doctors recommend getting a vaccine before the end of October to help keep you from getting sick when the season really starts to pick up. And if you do wind up with the flu, it could protect you from getting seriously ill. While it's too early to tell how severe the upcoming flu season will be, getting vaccinated early may give your body the protection in needs before peak activity begins.

Community Health Options Members won’t pay anything out of pocket at in-network providers and pharmacies. Covid 19 vaccinations are also covered at no cost. Talk to your primary care physician about which vaccines make sense for you. 

An ounce of prevention

Take a few more steps to protect yourself because Benjamin Franklin was right back in 1736: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

• Get vaccinated, even if you wait until later: Even if you don't want to get a flu shot now and want to wait to see how the flu season shapes up, you can get a vaccine any time, even in the middle of winter. 
  
  
• Wash your hands: You’ve heard it before. Keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to stop germs from spreading. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds (about as long as it takes to sing the alphabet), especially after shopping or being around others.
  
  
• Boost your immune system: Add some fruit, veggies and whole grains to those chops and County potatoes. Garlic and ginger, or snacks like oranges, are great to include in your diet. And, of course, stay hydrated.
  
  
• Stay active: No need to hibernate as the temperatures drop, the snow starts to fly. Layer up and get out there to enjoy all the seasons.
  
  
• Manage stress and get enough rest: Chronic stress wears you down and makes it easier to catch a bug. So, relax and recharge, enjoy or start a hobby, read a good book, or simply spend time with family.

If you'd like more information, you can find out more about how to take care of you and your loved ones on the CDC’s flu website.

Please check your plan’s schedule of benefits for details. Have a question about how to find an in-network provider or your benefits? Call our Maine-based Member Services team at (855) 624-6463, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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