Although reports had flu activity lessening in Morris County, this week reports have seen increasing flu illness throughout all New Jersey. It is important to wash hands thoroughly and frequently, cover coughs and sneezes and to stay home when sick.

Are you "Flu Savvy?" Questions regarding how prepared residents are can be answered by logging onto an interactive web application that seeks to inform and educate residents on the flu.

At "Get Flu Savvy" users start with a fever and lower their temperature to normal by navigating a road map back to health. Users take flu challenges, watch videos and learn how to prevent the flu and what to do if they get sick. Get Flu Savvy is available at http://www.getflusavvy.com .

The flu season continues with flu activity still high in most of the country. We are seeing a slight decrease in flu-like illness nationally and in New Jersey.

There is still available flu vaccine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continiue to recommend getting the vaccination. This has been a particularly serious season for children and vaccination of children is a priority.

If you have flu-like symptoms: fever, body aches, cough, runny nose, contact your doctor. There is antiviral treatments which are very effective in reducing severity and length of the illness.

And, we remind people to wash hands frequently and thoroughly, cover coughs and sneezes, and please stay home when you are sick.

The flu is still widespread throughout NJ. Morris County hospitals have been seeing a high number of influenza patients with complications being admitted to the hospitals.

Continue to wash your hands, cover coughs and sneezes, stay home when sick and call your doctor if you have flu-like symptoms.

In addition to flu there are gastrointestinal illnesses, many caused by norovirus, circulating in the community. The best way to reduce the risk of getting the virus is to:

Practice good hand hygiene
Carefully wash fruits and vegetables
Clean and disinfect surfaces if in contact with body fluids
Food Handlers should wait 3 days before returning to work if ill with norovirus

NJ is still reporting high levels of flu state wide. In Morris County we are seeing less visits to doctors and emergency rooms for flu symptoms and we are just beginning to see a drop in over the counter flu and cold medications.
If you haven't gotten a flu shot, you still can. Remember, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly to prevent the sharing of germs.

Our county monitoring indicates that there is a decrease in people visiting doctors and the emergency room for flu-related symptoms. Although this is encouraging, we do anticipate the flu to continue for about 3 more months.

Flu virus can live on surface objects for about 8 hours. It is important to keep your hands from your eyes and face during the day and to wash them thoroughly and frequently as most of us share objects with others throughout the day.