The flu may come every year, but that doesn't mean you should resign yourself to catching it. Here are five tips for staying safe during the flu season.
1) Get a Flu Shot
This is the best defense available against the flu. Flue viruses change constantly, so it's important to get a yearly vaccination to protect yourself from the latest strain.
2) Practice Frequent Hand Washing
Touching your face with germ-infected hands is a quick way to infect yourself with the flu. Hand washing should occur after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, being with ill people, and especially before you eat.
3) Avoid Contact With People Who Are Sick
Flu transmission can happen via many different points of contact. If someone you come into contact with is starting to get sick, avoid contact such as handshakes, and keep your hands away from your face so that viruses do not invade the mucus membranes in your nose, eyes, and mouth.
4) Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Staying healthy helps bolster your immune system, which makes it easier for your body to fight off sickness. Eat right, exercise regularly, and get an adequate amount of sleep. Monitor your stress levels and try and take steps to reduce them.
5) Clean Communal Areas Frequently
Keeping your surroundings clean can minimize the chance of getting the flu through contact with a contaminated surface. Surfaces like telephones, desks, doorknobs, shopping cart handles, kitchen counters, and computer keyboards should be wiped regularly with disinfecting wipes or solutions. Dispose of tissues immediately and appropriately.
