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                               January 18, 2002

KELLER CORNER

A weekly column of informative one-line tips provided by the Keller Army Community Hospital organizations. Questions regarding information that appears in this section should be directed to Mary-Patrice Ruocco at 938-4835.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...
...Active-duty moving overseas with family members need to contact the EFMP office as soon as possible. The EFMP office must screen all family members accompanying active-duty military members on overseas assignments. Call 938-6881 for details and appointments. Delay in screening may contribute to delay in family members traveling with sponsors.

...KACH will be closed Monday and Feb. 18. All outpatient clinics including pharmacy, pathology and radiology will be closed. The emergency room will remain open.

...Peak months for flu prevention are January and February.

How can you tell if you have a cold or the flu?
Colds and flu have similar symptoms. A cold is generally mild, while the flu tends to be more sever. A cold often starts with feeling tired, sneezing, coughing and having a runny nose. You may have a fever or run a temperature slightly higher than normal. Sore throat, watery eyes and a headache may also appear.

The flu starts suddenly and hits hard. You may feel weak, tired, have a fever, dry cough, runny nose, chills, muscle aches, severe headache, eye pain and sore throat. It takes longer to get over the flu than a cold.

What can I do to feel better?
There’s no cure for a cold or the flu. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses. The best practice to feel better is to treat your cold and flu symptoms by:

--staying home and resting, especially while you have a fever

--stopping smoking, it can make cold symptoms worse

--drinking plenty of fluids such as water, fruit juices, clear soups

--not drinking alcohol

--gargling with warm salt water. Throat sprays or lozenges help relieve pain

--using saline (salt water) nose drops to loosen mucus and moisten your nose

--washing your hands often with soap and water.

If symptoms worsen or if you experience pain, call your Health Care Provider to schedule an appointment. Information is also available on-line at www.familydoctor.org.