Health During Flu Season is a time of year when the flu virus may be more prevalent. It can lead to a sore throat, body aches and high fever.
The best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu is through regular exercise, a healthy diet (including fruits and vegetables) and enough sleep. You should also wash your hands frequently and use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Wash Your Hands
Health During Flu Season: One of the most effective ways to avoid the flu is by washing your hands often. We touch hundreds of objects during the course of a day, many of which can carry germs that cause colds and the flu. Frequent hand-washing using a regular soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can help you stay healthy and protect your family.
Germs like the ones that cause flu can travel on droplets that are dispersed into the air and settle on surfaces that people touch, called fomites. These include coins, handrails, door knobs and common household and office objects. Smooth objects transmit microbes more readily than rough or porous ones, such as paper money or a pen.
When washing your hands, make sure to lather the soap well, paying special attention to the backs of your fingers, thumbs and areas between your fingers. Then rinse your hands and dry them with a single-use towel. Repeat this process as necessary throughout the day.
Other good habits, such as getting enough rest, eating a balanced diet and getting your annual flu vaccine can also keep you from picking up the virus or spreading it to others. However, the single most important way to stay safe health during flu season is by improving your hand-washing routine. Invest in a hand soap that locks in moisture during the colder months and wash your hands frequently throughout the day.
Cover Your Sneezes
In addition to washing your hands, you can also help stop the spread of flu germs by covering your coughs and sneezes. This is especially important for those with lung conditions like asthma or COPD, who are at a greater risk of flu related hospitalizations and complications.
Each time you cough or sneeze, you send out thousands of tiny droplets into the air that can carry flu germs and infect people within six feet. These germs can also get into the eyes, mouth or nose and cause illness.
The best way to cover your cough or sneeze is to use a tissue, which you should then throw away immediately. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow instead. Then, wash your hands as often as possible, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
If you know someone is sick, avoid close contact with them and limit your interactions. Also, keep your distance from doorknobs and other frequently touched surfaces at home and work that can harbor flu germs. Getting enough sleep, staying active, managing stress and eating a well-balanced diet are key to healthy immune systems that can fight off germs. In addition, getting a seasonal flu vaccine is the single most effective measure you can take to protect yourself from flu and its complications.
Stay Home
In addition to getting a flu vaccine, you can help prevent the spread of germs by practicing good respiratory hygiene (covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing) and hand hygiene (washing often with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer) and avoiding close contact with sick people. If you do come in contact with a sick person, wash your hands right away.
The flu virus spreads mainly through droplets that are made when a person with the flu coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land on other people and cause them to get sick, too. Flu viruses can also spread by touching a surface contaminated with germs and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs can stay on objects for a long time, so it is important to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work and school.
Vaccination is the most effective measure to protect against the flu. CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a flu shot.
Get plenty of rest, exercise regularly, manage stress and eat a balanced diet to keep your immune system healthy. Be sure to drink lots of water, too. Lastly, treat your allergies. Allergies can weaken the immune system, making you more vulnerable to infection. Stay current on the latest health news from reputable sources like the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Wear Masks
The lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic will likely be useful during cold and flu season as well, including regular handwashing with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds; covering coughs and sneezes; staying home when you are sick to avoid spreading germs; and using a mask when visiting friends and family who may be contagious. A simple, surgical face mask will be effective to limit the spread of influenza droplets, while the more heavy-duty N95 respirator that many healthcare workers wore during the pandemic will only allow 5% of fine particles to pass into the mouth and nose (and then only if it’s properly fitted).
Conclusion
Other preventive measures include getting a seasonal flu vaccine, which can protect against the 3-4 most common types of flu viruses; eating fruits and vegetables; getting enough sleep; drinking tea with catechins, an antioxidant found in green, black, white, oolong, and pu-erh teas; and staying away from crowds, especially in high-risk settings like child care centers, schools, hospitals, offices, and public transportation. The Health During Flu Season and COVID-19 continue to put a strain on our communities, but by following these basic tips, we can slow the spread of these illnesses. The key is to remain vigilant and to follow the official recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Getting a flu vaccine each year lowers your chances of getting sick or dying from the flu.
