Finkelstein S et al released a public health article on flu prevention beyond just vaccination and expressed the importance of practicing personal hygiene, wearing face masks, and using air filters all of which was determined beneficial in reducing the risk of the care giver or other individuals from also getting the flu (50).
Researchers conducted a study of the effect of intensive hand hygiene on school absentees due to influenza-like illness (ILI), diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and laboratory-confirmed influenza in children from 60 different elementary schools in Egypt. Children in the treatment group washed their hands twice a day and received health message reminders. At the end of the study, compared with results for the control group, the intervention group reported a reduction in absences caused by ILI, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and laboratory-confirmed influenza of 40%, 30%, 67%, and 50%, respectively. (51)