Preparing for the impending cold and flu season means it’s time to build up your family’s arsenal for virus protection. While usually not severe, cold and flu viruses are nothing to sneeze at. Kids miss school, adults miss work, everyone feels miserable and complications may occur.
According to the CDC, “The single best way to prevent flu is to get vaccinated each year.” The vaccine is considered safe for most people, but talk to your doctor if you’re not sure. While the vaccine is a good start, there are other ways to protect your loved ones from viruses – especially in your own home.
WATER, SOAP AND COMMON SENSE
Ensure children (and adults) are washing their hands before eating or preparing meals. Germs often enter the body through the nose, eyes or mouth after hitching a ride on our hands. When out of the house, a bottle of alcohol-based sanitizer can help keep hands germ free. Different sanitizers can also be used to clean counter tops, bathrooms and other surfaces that can harbor viruses.
OUT OF THIN AIR
In addition to our hands and countertops in our homes, flu viruses can also be in the air we breathe. One reason flu viruses are more common in the winter is that they like the drier, color air. Scientific studies show that influenza enjoys a relative humidity of around 20% – about the level that often exists in homes when the heater is running. This is why proper humidity control in the winter months may reduce the chance of getting flu. Keep the air in your home clean with a high efficiency air cleaner and at the proper humidity level during the fall and winter months.
