Flu Season Etiquette
It’s official: We are in flu season. Flu Season Etiquette
My son has a runny nose, his friend an ear infection and my neighbour has a nasty cough- even my Mum is fighting something rotten. As we all start traveling this holiday season, meeting more friends and family, congregating in public places, all of these germs will be passed from person to person, multiplying by the tens of thousands, potentially infecting us all. It’s essentially the movie Contagion.
As a mum this makes me nervous, possible more nervous than necessary but I’m now embracing that with motherhood comes a bit of madness. I am big on preventing the flu, so how can we minimize the spread of germs?
As we do every year, we WILL get through this awful time of year but in the meantime, there is general flu etiquette that we should all be aware of.
Here are my top 6 tips for preventing the spread of germs at home, school or work:
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- Eat well: It’s important to make healthy food choices all year, but even more so during cold and flu season. Check out these Healthier Choice recipes from Loblaws which will help ensure you’re getting the nutrients your body needs.
- Strengthen your immune system: Getting adequate sleep (7 to 8 hours each night), drinking plenty of fluids (at least 8 glasses of water each day), eating healthy foods, and staying active will go a long way in staying healthy throughout the cold and flu season. Make ‘staying strong’ a family affair with group outdoor activities that end with a delicious and healthy family meal.
- Wash your hands: I cannot stress this enough. Please wash your hands! To limit the spread of germs, wash your hands frequently throughout the day and/or carry a hand sanitizer with you at all times.
- Know when to stay home: Know when a fever is too high. Know when your flu symptoms are grossing everyone else out too (That tissues pile on your desk is too high, Steve!) Make sure to stay home if your temperature passes 100 degrees. You and your family should be fever-free for at least 24 hours before returning to work or school.
- Get the flu shot: No matter where you stand on proper etiquette, flu shots should be part of the plan: it’s your first defense against the flu! Depending on how well the vaccine is matched to this year’s common viruses, 70-90 per cent of flu cases can be averted through vaccination.
- Cover Your Mouth When You Cough & Sneeze: Coughs and sneezes spread diseases. Keep them to yourself, folks. In this case, sharing is not caring.
Have I missed anything important? What flu etiquette do you practice?