Riverside's commitment to providing health care to our community is reinforced by an ongoing state of readiness and preparedness to handle any situation, whether a typical seasonal flu or a more serious natural disaster or unusual event such as a flu pandemic. Be assured we are here to care for you and your family and you should not be concerned about the quality or availability of medical care and flu treatment should you need it.

In addition to providing treatment, our mission is to also help prevent the spread of flu especially to those most vulnerable including the chronically ill, the elderly, and children. For this reason, Riverside, like other area hospitals, has adopted the practice of requiring our team members to receive flu immunizations unless they have received approved accommodations on the basis of medical or religious guidelines. 

• Vaccines are the best tool we have to prevent influenza. The CDC encourages people to get vaccinated against seasonal influenza as soon as vaccines become available.

Real-time updates from the CDC (@CDCFlu) and Flu.gov (@FluGov) on Twitter:

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
The best way to control the spread of infectious disease is to practice good infection prevention measures and minimize exposure. The single best preventive measure for everyone, whether at school, work or at home, is to wash your hands. You should practice respiratory/cough etiquette at all times. Be vigilant in cleaning surfaces that are touched frequently – doorknobs, sink faucets, keyboards, telephones, refrigerator handles and similar items. Get your seasonal flu shot.

What is respiratory/cough etiquette?
This includes:

• Cover the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, using tissues or your upper sleeve instead of the hands;
• Use tissues to contain mucous and watery discharge from the mouth and nose;
• Dispose of tissues in the nearest waste bin immediately after use or carry a small plastic bag (like a zip-lock bag) for used tissues;
• Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water (for 15-20 seconds) or use an alcohol-based hand cleanser after covering your mouth for a cough or sneeze, after wiping or blowing your nose, and after handling contaminated objects and materials, including tissues.

Will the seasonal flu shot protect me from the H1N1 flu?
The seasonal flu shot will not protect you from H1N1. It is possible to have the seasonal flu and H1N1 at the same time, as they are different virus strains.

More information:

• Be prepared
• Flu treatment
• Influenza versus Cold