This week, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, used his weekly conference call to urge Ohioans to take precautions to protect themselves during the current cold and flu season.

Joined by Lucas County Health Commissioner Eric Zgodzinski, Brown touted resources available to state residents, such as flu shots, which can be found using the website vaccinefinder.org.

Brown and Zgodzinski also urged people to do basic preventive measures, such as washing hands, disinfecting contaminated surfaces and covering coughs.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the best prevention is the flu vaccine, but no shot is 100 percent effective, they advice.

They also urge frequent hand washing, which they say is the number one practice you can employ, using soap and, when that is not available, hand sanitizers, which will protect, not just against the flu, but also other illnesses.

They also recommend that those who become infected stay at home, which not only helps them get needed rest and recuperation, but will also prevent contact with others and further spread of the flu and respiratory infections.

The flu can be deadly and two children from the state were reported to have died from it this season.

We urge everyone to follow these practices and do their part to protect their health, as well as those around them.