Everything You Can Do to Avoid the Flu

With 50 states and over 20% of their populations with lab-confirmed flu cases in the U.S., according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this flu season seems particularly scary. Aside from 3 states in the U.S., Influenza A is widespread across the country. It seems that everyone around us is catching this nasty virus. In some cases, this strain of the flu can lead to pneumonia or a secondary bacterial infection, and even become fatal. Even in the best case scenarios, it sucks to get the flu. Here are the best ways to avoid contracting this yucky winter virus, according to Dr. Adalja from the Center of Health Security:

Get. Your. Flu. Shot

When you get a flu vaccination, your body releases antibodies that can protect you from the most common virus strains in any given season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “You might still get other strains of the flu despite vaccination, although it’s less likely to be severe, and you’re less likely to develop pneumonia, be put on a ventilator, visit the intensive-care unit, or die from the flu after you’ve been vaccinated,” he says. Although it’s best to get your shot by the end of October, before flu season peaks between November and March, according to the CDC, it’s not too late to get one now — this is because the virus can continue to spread until May.

Stay at least 3 ft. from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

The flu virus is a parasite that hangs around in respiratory secretions that travel through the air in small droplets; when projected by a cough or sneeze, they can fly about three feet before gravity takes over. A flu patient who’s actively projecting these droplets by coughing or sneezing can contaminate the air you breathe. There’s no practical way to assess whether someone has a benign nose tickle, a cold, or the flu, so it’s best to keep your distance from anyone with suspicious symptoms.

Keep your hands away from your face, especially your nose and mouth.

Simply touching a contaminated surface won’t give you the flu, since the virus doesn’t infect the skin. It has to make it to a mucosal membrane in your mouth or nose to cause an infection. But you risk getting sick when you touch an infected surface and transfer the virus to your face.

Clean communal surfaces AT LEAST once a day.

The flu virus can remain viable without a host for about 24 hours. “In general, all household surfaces are going to be contaminated with the flu virus if you’re living with someone who has the flu,” Dr. Adalja said, adding that about 25% of people who become infected experience no symptoms but can still be contagious. It’s why you should wipe down commonly-touched surfaces — think phone chargers, fridge handles, and light switches — at least once a day using any standard household cleaner, regardless of whether anyone in your household is sick. But before you drop a paycheck on cleaning supplies, remember that “going above and beyond to clean surfaces still isn’t an iron-clad way to avoid the flu, because there are so many opportunities for the virus to spread directly between humans in a shared environment.”

Wash your hands after touching communal surfaces.

Touch a light switch? Communal keyboard? Water cooler? Whether you’re in a public place or in your home, it’s smart to wash your hands after handling any commonly-touched surfaces using soap and water afterward. Lather up for at least 20 seconds, then rinse under water, and air dry or pat dry with a clean towel, as per the CDC’s best practices.

In the absence of a sink, a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is your next best bet.

Wear surgical gloves when taking care of someone who is sick.

Doctors and Nurses are prepared to wear masks and gloves to avoid contact with infected individuals, but if you’re not prepared to suit up at home, frequent hand-washing is your next best bet when you’re around anyone with the flu.

Encourage others to trash their own used tissues.

This way, you can avoid direct contact with a sick person’s respiratory secretions, which can carry the flu virus. Let’s be real, no one wants to touch someone else’s dirty kleenex. Store a trash can by them in bed if needed.

Keep your windows closed.

Although cracking a window next to your sneezing office neighbor might give you peace of mind — since theoretically, it would help circulate out infected air — chances are it won’t do much to protect you. “Unless someone literally sticks their head out the window or moves out to the fire escape, opening the window won’t have any measurable benefits once the flu virus is in the air.” For what it’s worth, the flu virus’s outer coating hardens in cold, which helps it remain viable while passing between people.

Store your toothbrush out of sight.

If your family uses a communal toothbrush holder and you have a sick family member, using the holder that has been contaminated by an infected person’s toothbrush could transfer germs to your toothbrush, or an infected roommate’s rogue sneeze can contaminate your bristles with the flu virus, which can be transferred to your mouth.

Don’t bother taking Cold-Eeze, immunity-boosting supplements, or prophylactic Tamiflu

The zinc in cold-shortening candy like Cold-Eeze is only clinically proven to shorten the length of a cold, not the flu. In terms of supplements, the average American diet already provides sufficient nutrients to support healthy immune system functioning, so consuming more won’t help. And while Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug prescribed to flu patients within the first 48 hours of sickness to expedite recovery and make the virus less contagious, is sometimes prescribed in small doses prevent the flu, it can ultimately make you resistant so it doesn’t work as well the next time you really need it.

R-E-L-A-X

Yes, the flu can make you sick, but guess what? Stress can, too: People who report psychological stress are less likely to develop protective antibodies in response to the flu vaccine, according to a 2009 review. “It’s important not to become completely obsessed and compulsive,” Dr. Adalja says. “During a flu season like this, when the virus is spreading among humans in every type of environment and community, you’re going to be exposed to it — even if you live in an overly sterile environment.”