Frequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2021-2022 Season

What’s New for 2021-2022

Most people who get flu will recover on their own in a few days to two weeks, but some people will experience severe complications, requiring hospitalization. Secondary bacterial infections are more common with influenza than with COVID-19.

A few things are different for the 2021-2022 influenza (flu) season, including:

  • The composition of flu vaccines has been updated.
  • All flu vaccines will be quadrivalent (four component), meaning designed to protect against four different flu viruses. For more information: Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine | CDC.
  • Flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time.
  • More detailed guidance about the recommended timing of flu vaccination for some groups of people is available.

It’s best to be vaccinated before flu begins spreading in your community. September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against flu. Ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October. However, even if you are not able to get vaccinated until November or later, vaccination is still recommended because flu most commonly peaks in February and significant activity can continue into May.

What is the difference between Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19?

  • Influenza (flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus first identified in 2019, and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses.
  • COVID-19 seems to spread more easily than flu. However, as more people become fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 should slow down. More information is available about COVID-19 vaccines and how well they work.
  • Compared to flu, COVID-19 can cause more serious illnesses in some people. COVID-19 can also take longer before people show symptoms and people can be contagious for longer. More information about differences between flu and COVID-19 is available in the different sections below.
  • Because some of the symptoms of flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory illnesses are similar, the difference between them cannot be made based on symptoms alone. Testing is needed to tell what the illness is and to confirm a diagnosis. People can be infected with both flu and the virus that causes COVID-19 at the same time and have symptoms of both influenza and COVID-19.
  • While more is learned every day about COVID-19 and the virus that causes it, there are still things, such as post-COVID conditions, that are unknown. This page compares COVID-19 and flu, given the best available information to date.

Similarities:

Both COVID-19 and Flu can result in complications, including:

  • Pneumonia
  • Respiratory failure
  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (fluid in the lungs)
  • Sepsis (a life-threatening illness caused by the body’s extreme response to an infection)
  • Cardiac injury (for example, heart attacks and stroke)
  • Multiple-organ failure (respiratory failure, kidney failure, shock)
  • Worsening of chronic medical conditions (involving the lungs, heart, or nervous system or diabetes)
  • Inflammation of the heart, brain, or muscle tissues
  • Secondary infections (bacterial or fungal infections that can occur in people who have already been infected with flu or COVID-19)

Your Health and Safety Matters!

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Staying Safe As an Older Driver

The week of December 6th to December 10th was designated as Older Driver Safety Awareness Week by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Driver safety awareness is something that everyone needs to keep in mind as they grow older. Unfortunately, everyone will begin to undergo physical, mental, and sensory changes that can make driving safely a challenge.

Older Driver Safety Self Test

As an older driver, it’s vital that you be aware of your driving behavior and any issues that you might be having. Many older drivers will ignore such issues, especially if they appear to be minor, because they don’t want to face the truth that it might be affecting their ability to drive. Such issues can include:

  • Difficulty making out signage
  • Trouble accelerating and braking
  • Getting lost while driving
  • Feeling drowsy or dizzy
  • Feeling nervous while in traffic
  • Difficulty looking over your shoulder

If you have any of these issues, you should speak with your doctor in Southern California. They can help diagnose the problem and find a solution. In some cases, the issue may be caused by a medication you’re taking, which means your doctor can switch you to something that doesn’t cause those side effects.

The CarFit Program

CarFit is a driver safety program that helps determine if your car is a proper fit for your needs. Most older drivers will drive more carefully; however, if they get into an accident, they are more likely to be injured than younger drivers. The CarFit program involves a thorough 20-minute check of your vehicle to determine how well it fits your needs in terms of safety and comfort.

It suggests adjustments and safety additions to the vehicle so that it will be safer for the driver to use. For instance, CarFit may recommend using extenders or hand controls if you’re having trouble reaching or using the car’s pedals.

Older driver safety awareness will continue to be important for every driver as they grow older. For more driver safety tips, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today.

5 Tips for Dealing With Holiday Stress

Dealing with holiday stress can be a real challenge for everyone. Although the holidays are meant to be an enjoyable experience, they can be incredibly stressful for all kinds of reasons, whether it’s trying to find the time to get everything done or simply dealing with relatives that you may not get along with. Not to mention that buying gifts and traveling both cost money — and for many families, the holidays add a financial pressure that they can’t afford to take on.

Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to reduce your stress during the holidays.

How To Manage The Holiday Stress

The following are a few tips to help you alleviate some of the stress of the holiday season:

  1. Don’t be pressured by tradition – Just because something is tradition doesn’t mean you have no choice but to participate. If your family has a tradition you just don’t enjoy, find a different tradition that you can do every year that you’ll get more joy out of. Additionally, if you can’t afford to travel or don’t feel safe traveling this year, then don’t feel like you have no choice. “Tradition” is no reason to dig yourself into a financial hole or to risk your health and safety.
  2. Plan everything ahead – If you plan on visiting family, plan for travel well ahead of time. Don’t wait until the last minute to buy tickets if you’re flying out. The same goes for every other holiday situation. Buy all of your gifts ahead of time so you’re not rushing from store to store at the last minute.
  3. Don’t search for the perfect gift – Remember, there’s no such thing as “the perfect gift.” So don’t stress about finding it. It’s all about the “act” of giving, not the gift itself.
  4. Ask for help – Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re organizing a dinner, consider asking guests to bring something, like a bottle of wine or a side dish, to help reduce your workload.
  5. Get rest – Make sure you get enough rest. A lack of sleep will only exacerbate any stress you feel.

Use these tips to help reduce your holiday stress. For more health tips and advice, visit us at The Benefits Store today.

6 Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

Stress in America

Do your shoulders instantly tense up with the thought of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? Does your heart skip a beat when you think about spending the entire day with your extended family during the most wonderful time of the year? Does the thought of a revolving balance on your credit card from overspending keep you up at night?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re not alone. Money and family responsibilities are some of the top sources of stress in America.

Before the stress of the holidays sneaks up on you, read on to learn how to enjoy your most stress-free holiday season yet.

Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

There are many simple ways to deal with holiday stress, but first you need to understand your stress triggers. Do certain situations cause you to feel stressed? When you feel stressed, pause and think about what’s causing it. The activity you’re doing at the time may not be the cause of your stress. Once you understand what triggers your stress, use these six simple tips to de-stress.

1. Plan Ahead

Finding time for all of your holiday activities can be tricky. On top of your holiday commitments, you may also have to deal with increased traffic, especially around malls. Or you may feel extra pressure to get ahead of work so that you can take time off to travel.

Creating an action plan can help to relieve stress. Write down all of the things you need to do so that you can prioritize the things that are most important. You will also be less likely to forget something if you have a list.

2. Put Yourself First

With such a huge focus during the holidays on giving, it can be easy to forget to give back to yourself. Taking care of yourself will improve your mood and make it easier for you to take care of others.

Set aside some time to do things you enjoy. Find time to exercise, plan a dinner out, or just get a few minutes of fresh air. And don’t forget the importance of a regular good night’s sleep.

3. Keep Your Finances in Check

If you’re worried about your spending and how it will affect you after the holidays are over, be realistic about what you can afford to spend. The sentiment behind a gift is more important than the cost.

Create a budget and stick to it. Spend only what you can afford, and if you don’t have the ability to spend anything, bake a treat or offer your talents and time to your friends and loved ones.

4. Honor Loved Ones You Have Lost

It may be difficult to celebrate the holiday season if you’ve lost someone dear to you or distance makes it difficult to spend time together.

Spend this holiday season reflecting on special memories and how you will honor the person you lost by doing something meaningful in their honor. If you’re unable to spend time with loved ones, volunteer your time to a local organization where your smiling face could change someone’s day. Their smile could most certainly warm your heart.

5. Indulge in Moderation

Indulge in foods that you may only have once a year, but don’t forget the importance of healthy eating as well. A glass of eggnog or five sugar cookies for breakfast isn’t going to completely derail your eating plan. But it’s not a realistic way to eat every day during the holidays. Not only will it leave you feeling ill, but also the pounds will quickly sneak up on you. Everything in moderation is key this time of year.

6. Don’t Be Afraid to Say No

It’s okay to say “no,” and the more you say it, the easier it will get. Say “yes” to the events and things that you know will bring you joy. Say “no” to obligations that you know will cause you heartache and disappointment. If working a few extra hours of overtime will make you happy so you can treat your mom to her first new television in twenty years, do it. But if your neighbor that you’re not too fond of invites you to a holiday party, feel free to decline. You’ll be happy that you did.

Your Health and Safety Matters!

Contact The Benefits Store today for you and your Families health insurance needs!

Holiday Parking Lot Safety

It’s always important to keep holiday safety in mind when the end of the year comes around. The risk of getting hurt increases during the holidays for a myriad of reasons, whether it’s due to a lack of toy safety awareness or a lack of travel safety. One thing that few people think about when it comes to safety awareness during the holiday season is parking lot safety.

Parking Lot Holiday Safety Risks

People automatically assume that they’re in a safe area when driving around in a parking lot — most likely because the speed limit is very low to prevent accidents from occurring. However, just because people are driving slowly doesn’t mean there’s no risk.

There tend to be a lot of accidents that can result in injuries in parking lots, especially during the holidays in California when stores are packed. There are numerous reasons for this:

  • People are often on their phones while driving through parking lots and aren’t paying attention to the road.
  • People who are leaving their parking spaces often forget to check their blind spots and back into someone or something.
  • Parking lots are very congested with both vehicles and people during the holidays, which means the risk of an accident can increase.

Holiday Safety Tips For Navigating Parking Lots

To ensure that you don’t get into an accident in a parking lot this holiday season, be sure to keep the following safety tips in mind:

  • Be careful when backing up – When leaving a parking spot, don’t just rely on your rearview mirror — look over your shoulder and check your blind spots. Back up slowly just in case a pedestrian or car passes by.
  • Pay attention when driving through a parking lot – Besides avoiding traffic and pedestrians, you’ll want to be on the lookout for any cars that are leaving their parking spots that aren’t paying attention. 
  • Follow the law – Stop at the stop signs and stay under the speed limit when driving through parking lots.
  • Park away from the store – The further away you park, the less congested it becomes, thereby lessening the risk of getting into an accident during the holidays. 

Be sure to keep these holiday safety tips in mind when driving through parking lots in California during the holiday season. For more holiday safety tips, visit us at The Benefits Store today.