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CDC urges thorough housecleaning to combat flu

Doctors say this year's flu season is peaking all across the country and it's still not too late to get a flu vaccine. But they also say there's something even more pressing you should be doing to avoid the virus.

This particularly nasty flu season has gotten nastier, with 47 states now reporting one strain or another of the virus. "The virus is going to be with us throughout the country well into March and perhaps April," said Dr. William Shaffner, who works with the infectious diseases department at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

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That's why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and doctors everywhere are still encouraging anyone 6 months and older to be vaccinated, to keep your distance from those you suspect have it and to consider giving your household a good scrubbing.

"The virus can get on inanimate surfaces and, depending on the nature of the inanimate surface, they can last for about 15 minutes, sometimes some virus, 24 hours," said Shaffner. That's especially a concern if a child is running around the house.

Elizabeth Cannon, the mother of a 7-year-old and owner-operator of a Two Maids and a Mop cleaning franchise, says she's been known to chase her child around with disinfectant wipes. "Some of the simplest things that you can do is keeping antibacterial and virus wipes all over your house," said Cannon.

Cannon instructs her cleaning crews to use those wipes at least twice a day on surfaces that everybody is touching, like a TV remote. She also recommends that until flu season has passed, use paper instead of cloth towels. "One of the most susceptible places to germs in your house are the hand towels in the bathroom," said Cannon.