Every fall marks the start of flu season. However, this flu season is unique because we also have to worry about Covid-19 as well. That means this year more than ever, you need to be taking every precaution you can in order to stay healthy. All year, we have all be inundated with suggestions to wash our hands and social distance, but does that apply to the flu as well? Learn how you can keep your family safe during flu season this year and every year.
How-to: Keep Your Family Safe During Flu Season: Staying Healthy This Year
Good Hygiene
Just like with Covid, good hygiene will help keep you and your family safe during flu season. Make sure to wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water throughout the day. You will especially want to do so after using the restroom, touching surfaces in public spaces, or coming into contact with an infected person. If you are unable to get to a sink at that time, hand sanitizer works as well. Keep in mind that the CDC recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Also, if you have to cough or sneeze, do so into a tissue or your elbow. Otherwise, you risk spreading germs. It is good for you to do so, and hope that others do it as well.
Prevention
Avoid shaking hands or high-fiving others. Contact like this can spread germs that can make you sick. Use the hand hygiene skills mentioned earlier to clean your hands if you do end up having these kinds of interactions. If you know someone is sick, stay away from them. This will help keep your family safe during flu season because it reduces your risk of exposure to the virus. If you do have to interact with others, wearing a face mask could also help keep you and others from getting sick. If someone in your household gets the virus, make sure to keep them isolated from others and clean the house well.
Getting yourself and your family vaccinated every year with the flu shot will go a long way as well. Remember that the strain can change every year. In addition, your antibody levels will decrease over time. Make sure to get a new flu shot every year so that you are always protected.