The basic steps you should take to avoid getting sick include washing your hands, keeping your distance from others that may be sick, and opting for an elbow bump rather than a handshake, especially during the pandemic. Your practice of protecting yourself against viruses and bacteria goes well beyond defensive measures. You have to be on the offense of your health too. Medical experts weigh in on different ways you can avoid catching something this flu and cold season, from maintaining a healthy plan for a healthy lifestyle to staying home to avoid people until they are cured and feel better.
Wear A Mask
You have heard it for the past few months in response to Covid-19, but to wear a mask in public this year is not a bad idea, even for a runny nose during flu and cold. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest all adults and kids wear a mask, except for kids below the age of 2 or anyone who has a breathing problem, is unconscious, and unable to remove the mask without assistance or incapacitation. These are official recommendations to stop the spread of Covid-19. Still, as influenza and coronavirus spread in very similar ways, the mask may also become handy when trying to protect yourself from the seasonal flu.
Wash Your Hands Often
Each time when you shake someone’s hand, wash your own hands. But don’t stop there; you have to lather up your hands as much as possible. Quick rinse does not give you the most benefit. The CDC’s instructions state that you have to first wet your hands with running water, then turn off the tap and apply some soap. Scrub your hands together for nearly twenty seconds, and then, with the clean towel, dry your hands or air dry them.
Do Not Touch Your Face
Your eyes and nose are the most common places for germs to enter your body, so it is best to avoid touching the face at all. At least not until you have to wash your hands.
Get Enough Sleep
Going to bed on time on a normal basis is not hard. You need more Z’s when you feel under the weather. When you are tired, your body is not fighting as hard, so getting 8 to 10 hours a night sleep keeps your system in tip-top germ-fighting mode.
