Fight Flu Season by Buying a Box of Used Tissues?

If your family gets sick this time of year, a new company called Vaev is selling pre-used tissues for $80. Get your orders in soon — they are already sold out.
Yeah, I’m serious.

So this company sells pre-used tissues that are treated with organic ingredients (boogers?), non-prescription, and they claim it helps build your body’s immune system to prepare for the flu season.

“A tissue powered by the human body, for the human body.”

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A powerful slogan that doesn’t sound as repulsive as using someone else’s snot rag, right?

Vaev goes on to say they believe a used tissue that carries a human sneeze is safer than needles or pills. “This isn’t like any tissue you’ve used before, but we love using them, and you will too."

Who wants to buy a box?

Why not just let someone sneeze on your face with an open mouth and save a tissue? Who wants to start a company selling used tissues? It seems like there’s a decent profit margin.

Flu Quick Facts

There is a lot of statistics on influenza, but here are some quick facts that are straight to the point.

• Five to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu every year
• The flu results in 31.4 million outpatient visits each year
• During the 2017-2018 flu season:
• 58% of the deaths occurred in adults who were 65 or older
• 70% of the hospitalizations were adults who were 65 or older

Flu Risk Factors

Many people who get sick with the flu will have mild symptoms. They won’t need medical care, antiviral drugs, and usually, they recover within two weeks. But, there are some people who are more at risk for getting the flu.

These include:

• Adults over 65 years of age
• Children younger than five, especially younger than two
• Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• People with a weakened immune system
• Pregnant women and women up to two weeks postpartum
• People with chronic illnesses like asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and liver disease
• People who are morbidly obese with a body mass index of 40 or higher

It’s estimated that flu has resulted in 9.3 to 49 million illnesses each year in the U.S. since 2010. Surveys also estimate there are 31.4 million outpatient visits and more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year.

The 2017-2018 flu season was pretty severe and one of the longest in recent years with over 900,000 people hospitalized and more than 80,000 people dying from the flu.

So if used tissues aren’t your thing, there are some things you can do to decrease the risk of getting the flu.

The Center of Disease Control and Prevention Advises us to take these actions to fight the flu:

#1 - Vaccination

The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine, as they’ve found it to be the most important step to fighting the flu. The flu vaccine protects against the viruses that research suggests is most common.

As you read above, young children, adults over 65 years of age, pregnant women, and people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart or lung disease are all at a higher risk for catching the flu.

The CDC suggests that people who live with or care for other high-risk patients like health care workers need to get a vaccination each year.

#2 - Daily Preventative Measurements

There are a few things you can do every day to keep the flu bug away.
It may sound obvious, but avoid close contact with someone who is sick. While you are sick, stay away from those who aren’t so you don’t infect them.

The CDC recommends staying home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone to get back out. That is, unless you need to seek medical care or other necessities.

Start covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. This is where you can make some good money.

Keep your hands clean by washing with soap and water often. Using an alcohol-based hand rub can work if you don’t have soap and water. While you’re at it, clean and disinfect all of the other surfaces in your house and office.

Germs spread from touching your eyes, nose, and mouth — try to keep your hands away from your face unless you wash them first.

#3 - Antiviral Drugs

If you get the flu and you go to your doctor, take what they prescribe you.
Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics — they are prescription medications and not available over-the-counter.

Taking antiviral drugs will make the illness milder and shorten the time you are actually sick. It’s the difference between fighting the illness or going to the hospital.

There are many flu symptoms — cough, fever, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills, and fatigue — follow your doctor’s advice and the symptoms will be much milder.