Ways to Avoid Cold and Flu


 While germs are always present throughout the year, winter in particular increases your chances to get the common cold and influenza. Now more than ever, with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, people need to ensure their health and increase their immune system. Luckily, there are ways to prevent cold and flu. Here are some tips from The Center for Disease Control and Prevention that help you learn about actions you can take to protect yourself and others from the flu and help stop the spread of germs.


Avoid close contact:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

  • Stay home when you are sick.

  • If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.

  • Cover your mouth and nose.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu and other serious respiratory illnesses, like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and COVID-19, are spread by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands.

  • Clean your hands.

  • Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

  • Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

  • Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

  • Practice other good health habits.

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. 

  • Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.


At Work

  • Find out about your employer’s plans if an outbreak of flu or another illness occurs and whether flu vaccinations are offered on-site.

  • Routinely clean frequently touched objects and surfaces, including doorknobs, keyboards, and phones, to help remove germs.

  • Make sure your workplace has an adequate supply of tissues, soap, paper towels, alcohol-based hand rubs, and disposable wipes.

  • Train others on how to do your job so they can cover for you in case you or a family member gets sick and you have to stay home.

  • If you begin to feel sick while at work, go home as soon as possible.


Now more than ever, it’s important to stay as healthy and safe as possible. PrimaryPlus offers a complete range of services for the entire family including family health, pediatrics, and women’s health—truly a one-stop-shop caring for everyone in the family—moms, dads, babies, tweens, teens, grandma, grandpa, etc.  PrimaryPlus-Ashland is proud to partner with the University of Kentucky's Blue Angels program which provides High-Risk Ultrasound and Maternal-Fetal Medicine utilizing the joys of technology connecting patients and healthcare providers through telemedicine. PrimaryPlus-Ashland is ALWAYS WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS! Visit us online today for more information and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook. 


While germs are always present throughout the year, winter in particular increases your chances to get the common cold and influenza. Now more than ever, with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, people need to ensure their health and increase their immune system. Luckily, there are ways to prevent cold and flu. Here are some tips from The Center for Disease Control and Prevention that help you learn about actions you can take to protect yourself and others from the flu and help stop the spread of germs.


Avoid close contact:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

  • Stay home when you are sick.

  • If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.

  • Cover your mouth and nose.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu and other serious respiratory illnesses, like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, and COVID-19, are spread by cough, sneezing, or unclean hands.

  • Clean your hands.

  • Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

  • Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

  • Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

  • Practice other good health habits.

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. 

  • Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.


At Work

  • Find out about your employer’s plans if an outbreak of flu or another illness occurs and whether flu vaccinations are offered on-site.

  • Routinely clean frequently touched objects and surfaces, including doorknobs, keyboards, and phones, to help remove germs.

  • Make sure your workplace has an adequate supply of tissues, soap, paper towels, alcohol-based hand rubs, and disposable wipes.

  • Train others on how to do your job so they can cover for you in case you or a family member gets sick and you have to stay home.

  • If you begin to feel sick while at work, go home as soon as possible.


Now more than ever, it’s important to stay as healthy and safe as possible. PrimaryPlus offers a complete range of services for the entire family including family health, pediatrics, and women’s health—truly a one-stop-shop caring for everyone in the family—moms, dads, babies, tweens, teens, grandma, grandpa, etc.  PrimaryPlus-Ashland is proud to partner with the University of Kentucky's Blue Angels program which provides High-Risk Ultrasound and Maternal-Fetal Medicine utilizing the joys of technology connecting patients and healthcare providers through telemedicine. PrimaryPlus-Ashland is ALWAYS WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS! Visit us online today for more information and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook. 


Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/actions-prevent-flu.htm

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