Living with the Flu » Red Cross

Searching for the flu…?

Red Cross STL — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:27:35 +0000

It’s funny to me that the word “google” has become a verb. When I don’t know something, I simply say, “I’ll google it and find out.”

So, I guess it isn’t surprising that when a new strain of the flu developed and people were unfamiliar with it that they began to google it. In fact, Google believes that they can show a close relationship between the number of flu cases and the number of times the word “flu” has been searched for. and have had their results published in the journal Nature. They are so sure that they have a whole website devoted to Google flu trends and have had their results published in the journal Nature.

The evidence they have is very interesting and available for a number of countries. Although the Google information isn’t a substitute for statistics from the CDC or your local health department, it is updated daily and could turn into a great tool for health professionals.

Oh, and don’t worry, the information Google collects from searches can’t be used to identify any single user. So, feel free to keep googling all your questions!

Nicole Holtgrefe is the director of preparedness and client services for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.

Red Cross Poll Shows Women Taking More Precaution Against Flu

Red Cross STL — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:15:52 +0000

It’s refreshing to see that most Americans are taking the flu seriously. According to an recent Red Cross survey, 78% of adults are washing their hands more carefully and frequently compared to only 55% in May. (Remember 20 seconds!) Also 75% of adults are taking more care in making sure they are covering their coughs and sneezes. Women are more like than men to be taking these steps, for instance women are almost 20% more likely than men to be cleaning surfaces with disinfectant at home and at work than men (72% of women and 53% of men.) One thing that may not surprise American men is that women are also 20% more likely then men to be giving others advice on how to avoid the flu (58% of women are giving out advice, compared to 38% of men.)

It’s easy to understand why people are taking these precautions, since 1 in 5 Americans knows someone who has had the flu.

Those are great first steps but there are still things to do to prepare for the flu: only 20% of Americans have talked to their supervisors about they should do if they have to take time for because they have the flu. This is something you definitely want to do before you are home sick! Also, only about half of Americans have gathered an adequate (2-weeks) supply of food and water in their homes in preparation for the flu.

People do have some concerns: about half of Americans are concerned about the H1N1 flu vaccine. Flu.gov has great information on the vaccine and its safety.

Need a Flu Education Presentation? The Red Cross Can Help

KETC — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:26:21 +0000

If you would like a flu education presentation for your company, organization, or other group, the St. Louis chapter of the American Red Cross can help.

For more information on the FREE pandemic flu education presentations to adults and children, visit their Web site or contact Elena Sabin, at esabin@redcrossstl.org or 314-516-2753.

Common Questions: H1N1 Flu – What’s the Real Deal?

KETC — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:14:17 +0000

We all have questions about H1N1. What’s ture? What’s myth? Sharon Stanley, American Red Cross Chief Nurse, has some answers we all can use.

You can find more flu information about tip on our video page.