In recent years, there have been a wide range of alarming headlines in the news about deadly flu and other respiratory viruses, including H1N1, SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome), and now Enterovirus D-68. With Ebola concerns on the rise around the world as well in 2014, what is a busy person or concerned parent or caregiver to do in order to protect themselves and their loved ones?

The first steps are to learn all you can about the illness, including what symptoms to watch out for, and how it spreads. In this way, you can avoid catching it yourself, or, even if you do get sick, can help stop the spread of the illness to others.

If you take care of young children or older relatives, are an older person yourself, are pregnant, have a compromised immune system, or work in a job that causes you to come into contact with a lot of other people, such as a health care worker or teacher, you will want to do all you can to avoid colds and flu and stop their spread,

In this guide, you will learn the latest on the current flu season, including the range of vaccinations available, You will also learn how colds and flu spread, and how you can do your part to avaoid catching one, or if you do become ill, how to stop spreading it through your household, workplace, and the community as a whole.

To complicate matters, the world is on watch for the spread of Ebola from West Africa just as the flu season is getting underway. Learn how many of the symptoms of the early stages of Ebola are similar to that of flu, and how they differ.

Adding to our health concerns, the US is also currently experiencing a deadly outbreak of Enterovirus D68, (EV-D68), which has already lead to thousands of hospitalizations of young children and several deaths thus far. Adults can catch it and pass it along, though they do not usually become as ill as children who are infected. Knowing the signs and symptoms of EV-D68 can help keep you and your family safe.

In this guide, you will also learn the truth about stomach flu, and how to prevent your family from getting the double whammy of influenza, an upper respiratory illness of the nose and chest, and Norovirus, an illness of the stomach and intestines that affects your digestive system, and is usually passed on to others as the result of a sick person not washing their hands properly after they go to the bathroom.

In the past few years of economic recession, we have seen that many people literally can't afford to be sick. Don't miss out on work and all the other things you need to do in your daily life because you get sick with flu. Do all you can to avoid catching the flu, or allowing the flu to spread in your home and beyond. An ounce of prevention can go a long way towards stopping colds and flu. Learn these top tips today to stay well during the 2014-2015 flu season, and throughout the year, to keep you and your family safe.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CH1: COLDS VERSUS FLU: HOW CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?
CH2: WHAT IS A COLD?
CH3: WHAT IS THE FLU?
CH4: WHAT ARE ALLERGIES?
CH5: PREVENTING COLDS AND FLU
CH6: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FLU VACCINE
CH7: CHILDREN, INFLUENZA AND VACCINATION
CH8: OTHER IMPORTANT FLU FACTS
CH9: CHECKLIST: OF ACTIONS TO TAKE THIS FLU SEASON
CH10: WHO SHOULD GET THE PNEUMONIA VACCINATION?
CH11: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SARS
CH12: WHAT IS ENTEROVIRUS D68 (EV-D68)?
CH13: EBOLA SYMPTOMS TO BE AWARE OF
CH14: NATURAL REMEDIES FOR COLDS AND FLU

CONCLUSION

RESOURCES AND FURTHER READING

2014-2015 FLU VACCINATIONS UPDATE
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About the Author

Carolyn Stone has worked in consumer health and continuing medical education (CME) publishing for nearly 20 years. She is the author of over 100 health and self-help guides, including guides on Ebola, Listeria, Cyclospora, Norovirus, Atrial Fibrillation, and Coping with Caregiving: How to Avoid Caregiver Burnout.