Flu season is in full swing, and one concern on everyone’s mind is whether or not they’ll contract the flu this year. With multitudes of different strains going around, it’s hard to predict whether or not you’ll be struck and what types of symptoms you will have if you are. A lot of people wonder how it is that doctors and nurses and others who work around sick people don’t often get sick, and believe that there is some magical secret to this. As an ER scribe and someone who regularly volunteers in a hospital, I am constantly around sick people myself, but I rarely get sick. To be clear, there isn’t a magical secret to this, but I will share with you some tips that have kept me healthy throughout this flu season.
1. Carry handy-wipes around with you. Everywhere.
This is a big one. As we all know, washing your hands is the best way to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria, but when you’re constantly on the go, there isn’t always a sink and hand soap nearby. This is why I always have a pack of handy-wipes in my purse. Hand sanitizer is okay too, but handy-wipes are my go-to because they can also be used to wipe down surfaces that may be dirty. Shopping carts, public tables and even your cell phone can harbor an abundance of pathogens that could make you sick, which is why it’s good to be able to wipe them down regularly.
2. Avoid touching your face
The average person touches their face 2000-3000 times per day, which makes it easy for a virus to find its way into your respiratory system. Your mouth and nose are openings to your respiratory tract, and they are mucous membranes, which are more susceptible to infection than your skin is. When we touch our faces with unclean hands, we are giving the viruses on our hands the perfect opportunity for entrance to our bodies.
3. Vitamins, vitamins, vitamins
One thing that is incredibly important is to make sure that we are getting the correct vitamins in our diets. All vitamins are important, but vitamins A, C, and E are just a few that are particularly important when it comes to immune health. I take a multi-vitamin every day, along with a separate vitamin C supplement. It is important to make sure that you’re taking your vitamins properly, however, and not taking more than is recommended on the bottle because too much of a good thing is, well, bad.
4. Keep up with your personal hygiene.
This one should be obvious, but it’s incredibly important so I’m going to mention it anyway. Please be hygienic! If you’ve been in public all day, take a shower before you go to sleep. Wash your hands before you eat (or refer to tip #1 if you’re not around a sink). Do your laundry regularly, as dirty clothes are a good place for pathogens to hide. If you do end up getting sick, replace your toothbrush afterwards so that way you’re not putting a virus-infested toothbrush in your mouth.
5. Most important of all – get vaccinated!
Make sure that you are up-to-date on all vaccines, including the flu vaccine. I know that the flu vaccine isn’t always as effective as we hope for it to be… but it’s still important in minimizing the likelihood that you will contract the flu and spread it to others. Because some sections of the population cannot be vaccinated due to age or allergies, it’s incredibly important that those of us who can, do, so that we can decrease the chances of spreading diseases to babies and immunocompromised people, and besides, if you can minimize your chances of getting sick, why wouldn’t you?