Yes, the flu is still around.

And no, it’s not too late to get flu shots in January.

Flu season typically starts at the beginning of fall and tapers off toward the end of spring. Given that this flu season got off to an unusually strong start  — with flu-related deaths being up more than 65% in 2020 so far — considering a flu vaccine isn’t a bad idea.

So far, 9.7 million people have gotten the flu this season. 

Not interested in being a statistic?

Preventative measures — like the flu vaccine — are still available.

Below we dive into the flu season so far this year and tips for employers to avoid the spread of it in the workplace.

We've had years of experience holding flu shot clinics and have heard every excuse in the book for skipping out on your yearly vaccine. If you or your employees have reservations or have heard rumors about the flu shot, send this handy list to them to ensure they know the facts about getting protected from the flu. 

Excuse #1: I've heard you can get the flu from the flu shot. 

We hear this one all the time! It’s by far the most widely spread misconception about the vaccine. Flu shots are currently made in one of two ways: the vaccine is made either with flu viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ (killed) and are therefore not infectious, or with no flu viruses at all.

It's scientifically impossible to get the flu from a flu vaccine. In addition to this, the shot does not offer instantaneous protection, but rather takes a week or two to kick in. Therefore, anyone who comes down with an influenza virus right after getting the shot already had the virus in their system.  

There’s no getting around it: flu season is the worst.

Not just for employees who suffer from a bout of the flu, but also for the businesses that employ workers who catch the flu.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu accounts for billions of dollars in medical costs and lost wages. Most employees end up in the doctor’s office or sometimes even hospitalized.

The timeline of time off can be rough, too. Employees may need up to two weeks of sick days for flu recovery — sometimes longer if there are complications.

By understanding the seriousness of the flu and taking preventative measures — like hosting a flu shot clinic— you can encourage employees to get vaccinated and stay healthy during flu season.

Here’s a look at how dangerous the flu is physically and financially:

The flu season is back again.

Nobody wants the flu, and public health officials are already warning this season is likely to be moderate to severe. Since the flu viruses can cause mild to severe illness, it’s important to be as prepared as possible by understanding the facts about the flu and how the body responds.

The most common flu signs and symptoms include:

• Sore throat
• Cough
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Fever (not everyone gets one)
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue

Want to know more about this year’s flu season? Here’s a look at some of the facts about the 2019 flu season and what to expect:

Flu season is coming in fast.

Not surprisingly, flu season is an expensive time for businesses when it comes to lost productivity and a spike in healthcare claims.

Annually, the flu costs U.S. businesses around $10.4 billion in direct costs for hospitalizations and outpatient visits for adults.

Luckily, one little shot can help with that. Vaccination against the flu may reduce risk of getting ill by 40 to 60 percent.

But getting it on time and before flu symptoms arrive in the body is key. Peak flu season is from December to February, but it can run from October to May.

And with a recent delay in some shipments of flu vaccines, it’s especially important for employees to get their flu shot as soon as it’s available. The delay shouldn’t cause shortages of the vaccine and we have already received our vaccine here at TotalWellness.

So, just how effective is the flu shot? We share all the details below.

Your office space is the definition of close quarters. Everyone is in the same space, sharing equipment, and spending their entire workdays together. That means when one employee gets sick, it won’t be long until everyone else has caught the bug too. In a matter of days, you could have an office epidemic on your hands.

If you start to notice an outbreak of the flu – or any illness, for that matter – there are some things you can do to make sure you’re still able to do business efficiently out of your office.

Flu season is coming! Hopefully, this means that your company has an onsite flu clinic coming up. If you're having doubts about participating in this year’s flu clinic, we want to help you realize just how vital receiving your annual flu shot is. 

We know that the flu shot has gotten a bad rap in the past years. Common misconceptions have caused many Americans to shy away from getting vaccinated. Many also underestimate the health risks from the flu. Regardless of some of the things you’ve heard about the vaccine, it’s important to know that getting a flu shot is your #1 defense against the flu. 

So, if you have any doubts about participating in this year’s flu shot clinic, read this first: 

With the help of a great flu shot vendor, hosting an onsite flu shot clinic is easy. But when it comes to employee participation, things get a bit more challenging. Employee participation is crucial to the success of an onsite flu shot clinic. Without enough employees getting vaccinated, a flu outbreak can occur.

As a wellness leader at your workplace, you have the opportunity to promote onsite flu shots and encourage employees to get vaccinated. If this is your first year hosting a flu shot clinic, or if you haven’t achieved desired participation rates in the past, download our free flu shot promo materials and try out some of these ideas for promoting this year’s flu shot clinic at your office: 

Flu season is almost here! If you keep up with our blog and social media pages, you’ll know we’ve been talking a lot about the negative effects of the flu lately. That’s because we hope more employees get vaccinated this year. The flu is really nothing to leave up to chance. Without receiving an annual flu shot, your employees significantly raise their risk of falling ill with influenza.

But why does this matter to employers? Well, for one, all employers should care about the general health and wellbeing of their employees. Secondly, your company can’t perform it’s best when employees are sick with the flu. In fact, approximately 17 million workdays are lost due to the flu each year. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this equates to $7 billion lost per year in sick days and lost productivity. 

However, through advanced education, proper planning, and corporate flu shots, you can help protect your employees and shield your business from taking a major hit this flu season. To minimize the effect of the flu on your business, there are seven key ways you can help protect your employees: 

When it comes to flu season, you want all of your employees protected. The flu can lead to some serious health risks and put an employee out for a full workweek. Hosting an on-site flu shot clinic is one of the best ways to help protect your employees and prevent an office flu epidemic.

However, things can get a bit tricky if you have remote employees. These employees should have the same opportunity to receive a free flu shot, just like your on-site employees. Just because these employees aren’t physically in the office doesn’t mean it won’t harm your business if they get sick. 

While a sick remote employee can’t necessarily spread the flu around the office, a sick employee is still a sick employee. Their productivity will plummet, and they’ll likely need at least a couple of days to fully recuperate from the flu. 

So, if you don’t want your remote employees falling ill with the flu this year, here’s what to do: