The winter season is right around the corner, and with that also comes flu season. Even if you’ve gotten your flu shot, it’s still recommended to take the extra steps to avoid catching the flu at all costs. Being sick during the holidays and beyond that is really no joke.
However, there are key ways to avoiding the flu and making sure it stays out of your home for good. Besides just washing your hands thoroughly and keeping your hands away from your mouth, there’s a lot more you could do to be proactive about being healthy this year. Here are 13 ways you can keep the flu out of your home!
1. Identify your symptoms
Unfortunately, it’s hard to catch the flu before it really takes over. The symptoms start suddenly and they often consist of fever or chills, a cough, a sore through, a stuffy or a runny nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, and more. Keep in mind that not all people who experience the flu have a fever.
2. Ladies: don’t put your purse on the floor
Putting your bags or purses on a dirty, public floor is the best way to pick up some nasty germs, or worse. If you do, you should consider using a soft cloth of sorts to wipe away the grime you’ve picked up.
3. Wash your thumbs, specifically
Your thumbs pick up the most germs throughout the day as we use them for the most activities. Whether it’s texting on our cell phones or changing the channel on the remote, our thumbs come in contact with the most grime.
4. Disinfect handles
It’s good to get into the habit of not only cleaning door knobs but also cleaning handles on anything else in your house. This means handles on your cabinets, dishwasher, or fridge. Better to be safe than sorry!
5. Keep toothbrushes separate
It’s best to keep toothbrushes separated from each other. Having toothbrushes too close increases the chance of spreading the flu in addition to other nasty viruses like strep or E. coli.
6. Don’t eat lunch at your desk
According to reports, your work desk is 100 times dirtier than a public toilet seat. It’s best to disinfect your desk before eating there or you risk the spreading of potential viruses or other harmful bacteria.
Read up on more ways to be flu-free this year on the NEXT page…