Tips to beat cold and flu season

This tips Tuesday was inspired by a member of our team, who is at home with a daughter sick with the flu.

1. Get the flu shot

Even in years where the vaccine is not as effective, the flu shot is one of the best ways to prevent infection.

2. Wash your hands – all the time

Wash your hands as much as you can stand. Certainly before thinks like eating or after going to the bathroom. Your hands are how you interact with the world, and it’s one of the primary ways that cold and flu spread. Wash with soap and water, and take time to physically scrub your hands to remove any viruses on the skin. If soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can help, but it should not replace soap and water as the primary means of hand washing.

3. Wash your face occasionally

Your hands are the most likely way that you’ll pick up a virus, but the most likely way it will make it into your system is through your eyes, nose and mouth. Washing your face a few times, especially before eating can help cut down on the risk of infection. Again, use soap and water.

4. Keep your environment clean

Washing high-use surfaces like door knobs and light switches can help prevent the cold and flu from spreading. If you’re a teacher, having Lysol spray or wipes to clean desks and tables can help prevent infections from spreading between classes. If you’re at home sick or with a sick family member, a little general cleaning can help, especially in areas where an infected person has had a lot of contact, including things like closes and bedding.

5. Decontaminate

It’s common for professionals in high-risk professions like medical care, wastewater treatment or sanitation to immediately change out of their work clothes and shower when they get home. You can use your judgement on how far to take this practice, but it can help prevent you from carrying viruses from outside into your home environment. Even if you only use this practice when you’ve been in contact with several sick individuals, it can reduce your chances of infection.

6. Quarantine

Try to avoid sick individuals as much as possible. If you are sick, stay home – don’t go to work, don’t go to school, don’t go to church, don’t go to judo class, don’t go shopping, just don’t. One of the best ways to reduce the spread of any infection is to limit how much contact healthy individuals have with the virus, and the greatest source of virus exposes are sick individuals.