FastMed Cold and Flu Season Tips For Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment
October 12, 2015 – Clayton, NC: FastMed Urgent Care, the fastest-growing urgent care operator nationally and the fastest-growing urgent care network in the U.S., has issued its 2015-2016 Cold and Flu Season Survival Guide to prepare North Carolinian families for the fall and winter.
According to the CDC, Americans contract one billion colds each year, causing 22 million sick days from school and work. The flu affects between 5% and 20% of Americans each year, causing an average of 200,000 hospitalizations.
“As we head into fall, we want North Carolinians to be prepared for the cold and flu season by using FastMed’s Cold and Flu Season Survival Guide,” said Sekhar Kommu, MD, National Chief Medical Officer for FastMed Urgent Care. “Be proactive and get your flu shot. Good health starts with families being proactive, prepared and preventative.”
The FastMed Cold and Flu Season Survival Guide includes the following tips:
- Wash Your Hands – Hand hygiene is the first line of defense against catching a cold or the flu. Wash your hands before eating, and before touching your face, mouth, eyes or nose. Wash your hands after you use the restroom, sneeze or cough, blow your nose, or touch public areas or surfaces, such as a table, door handle or light switch. For effective hand washing, view FastMed’s Hand Washing Infographic here.
- Get Your Flu Shot – The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for those 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against the flu is a flu vaccination. It may take up to two weeks after receiving your flu shot for the antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu. FastMed Urgent Care centers offer 2015-2016 flu vaccinations on a walk-in basis 365 days a year. Visit www.fastmed.com/flu for FastMed’s important flu facts and informational videos.
- Know if it’s a Cold or the Flu – Distinctive flu symptoms include quick onset, fever, muscle aches and fatigue lasting more than two to three days. A cold manifests sore throat, runny nose and congestion symptoms. FastMed Urgent Care centers offer a rapid flu test on a walk-in basis. Visit FastMed’s resources noting the differences in cold and flu symptoms here.
- Have a Prevention and R&R Plan – Make sure that you have a prevention and R&R (rest and recovery) plan to help you fight off and recover from a cold or the flu. For your prevention plan, get your flu shot at FastMed Urgent Care and purchase hand sanitizer, tissues, a thermometer, vitamins, decongestants and cough drops from your local grocery store or pharmacy. For your R&R plan, know if you have a cold or the flu by visiting your local FastMed, plan to stay home from work or school and practice quarantine procedures in your home to prevent sharing the flu with the rest of your family.
Flu season may start as early as October and can last as late as May depending upon the weather and the severity of flu cases. Flu cases typically peak between December and February. FastMed Urgent Care centers provided walk-in testing and treatment 365 days a year for colds, the flu, strep throat, upper respiratory infections and other seasonal illnesses. Visit www.fastmed.com/fall for more information.
About FastMed Urgent Care:
FastMed Urgent Care is an owner and operator of urgent care facilities with locations throughout North Carolina and Arizona. FastMed focuses on the delivery of non-appointment based medicine to the non-emergency patient market. The urgent care centers are open 365 days a year and are staffed with experienced and licensed physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. FastMed clinics hold The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for accreditation in compliance with the Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in ambulatory health care. For more information, please visit www.fastmed.com. FastMed is managed by an affiliated entity of one of the investment funds of the ABRY Partners.
About ABRY Partners:
Founded in 1989, ABRY Partners is one of the most experienced and successful media, communications, business and information services focused private equity investment firms in North America. Since its founding, ABRY has completed over $42 billion of transactions, representing investments in over 450 properties. The firm is currently managing over $4.3 billion of total capital and investing out of a $1.9 billion private equity fund, $950 million senior equity fund and a $1.5 billion senior debt fund.
Contact:
Reuel Heyden
Sr. Dir. of Communications | Marketing
FastMed Urgent Care
Phone: 919.550.0821×1016
Email: r.heyden@fastmed.com