Please Sneeze Into Your Elbow

That way you won't contaminate your hands and you will stop the projectile sneeze goo from infecting anyone else.

Aches, pains of flu appear in Bay Area / Strain bugging Western states has yet to spread nationwide

It is unclear whether it is good news or bad that the flu outbreak this year is occurring over the Christmas school break. Children are thought to be the major carriers of influenza, catching it in schools and spreading it around their communities. The winter break from school could help snap the chain of transmission in schools, but it may mean the virus will spread during holiday family gatherings.

"Now, instead of their classmates, they'll be infecting their grandmas, grandpas and younger siblings,'' Bergen said.

Disease control experts are increasingly stressing that frequent hand washing and respiratory etiquette -- covering your mouth when you cough and your nose when you sneeze -- really does help cut down the spread of influenza and other winter illnesses.

Martin Brandfon, of Redwood City, said he has avoided the flu with his own mix of influenza defenses.

"Whenever I see or hear anyone who is sick, I turn and go the other way,'' he said. He also has a prevention scheme your doctor may not recommend: "My theory -- a shot or two of Jack Daniels a day, and next thing you know, it's springtime."

That also works or you just don't remember being sick.