Avoiding Illness
This year’s flu season is compounded by the presence of COVID-19. It is more important than ever to be mindful and practice preventative illness & flu precautions to avoid getting sick.
One positive aspect to COVID-19 is the enforcement of stricter hygiene practices. This includes:
- Wider public access to hand sanitizer in stores
- Renewed focus in cleaning public areas
- Wearing masks
- An increased amount of the population remaining at home
These methods might assist with lowering the overall numbers of the flu this year, but there are still practices to further protect yourself.
Get Your Flu Shot
The first of suggested illness & flu precautions is to get your flu shot. The flu shot is a vaccine targeted to combat the most impactful influenza viruses anticipated for the year. The influenza or flu virus is a different type of virus than COVID-19 which is a type of coronavirus. Getting this year’s flu shot will not protect you from COVID-19. But it will significantly lower your chance of contracting the flu. Influenza cases generally peak in the December to January timeframe. It is recommended to get your vaccine in November at the latest (1). Receiving the flu vaccine protects you and those around you. It also saves healthcare resources for the care of COVID-19 patients (3).
Good Hygiene
Another important method for reducing the spread of the flu is washing your hands and cleaning surfaces. Flu viruses have been known to live on some surfaces for up to 48 hours. Some cold viruses are infectious for much longer (2). Although the infectious period of COVID-19 on surfaces has not been confirmed, it can still be removed and killed using the same cleaning techniques as those used for cold and flu viruses. Popular cleaning techniques that remove viruses use products that contain alcohol, detergents (soap), and hydrogen peroxide. These chemicals alter or kill viruses so they are no longer infectious. Commonly used objects such as doorknobs, phones, keyboards, and tables are just a few examples of locations that should be wiped down regularly.
Stay Home When Possible
The final recommendation is to simply stay home. The flu, colds, and COVID-19 are all highly contagious respiratory illnesses and although masks help, the only foolproof method to avoid sickness is to not be in contact with them at all. The coronavirus pandemic has shifted a lot of focus to staying at home and many everyday tasks can be completed without leaving the house. Monitoring who you come in contact with, who enters your home, and maintaining CDC guidelines with those you do encounter are all ways to actively avoid exposure and illness.
In the case of illness how do you know what you are sick with? COVID-19, the flu, and colds all have very similar symptoms to include cough, fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and a runny nose (3). To avoid spreading any illness, particularly COVID-19, contact your doctor for advice and to schedule testing if recommended.
For more information on COVID-19 see LINK
