Prevent Flu: Steer Clear of Sick People

Making It Work at School: Toy-Toting Flu Germs

In day care facilities and schools, it's equally difficult to protect against flu infection, says Brownfield. If one child is carrying a flu bug, everyone is exposed. Studies show that day care centers are prime breeding grounds for the flu virus with all that toy-sharing, sneezing, and coughing in close quarters.

Some viruses can live from 20 minutes to two hours or more on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks, the CDC reports.

For seasonal flu, getting children vaccinated is the best start. But what else can you do? You just go back to the basics. "Hand washing is extremely effective in limiting spread of the disease," says Schwartz. "Teachers may need to be reminded, and so do kids."