The holiday season is a great time to visit family, but public health officials advise against it if you're sick.
Specifically, Public Health Nurse Nadeane Brull says residents with the flu shouldn't be stepping into nursing homes. While there aren't any official restrictions, Brull says it's sometimes in everyone's best interest to wait until you're well again before a visit.
"You don't want to bring any germs from the outside into these facilities. Often times seniors are at higher risk for influenza, as well as respiratory illnesses that are going around," says Brull.
If there is an outbreak in a particular nursing home, Brull also advises visitors to limit their trips inside individual rooms.
"We don't want to put anyone in communal settings where there are other people that can be potentially sick," says Brull.
If you do have the flu, Brull advises to stay home, get plenty of rest and drink a lot of fluids.
