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The flu season is quickly approaching. Thanks to people taking preventative measures against COVID-19, like wearing masks and avoiding close contact with others, reduced infections. However, researchers foresee a spike in flu infections due to people returning to work this year with weakened immune systems from not being exposed to the virus last year.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Surfaces
It is important to keep your surfaces clean to eliminate the flu virus. Light switches, doorknobs, and counters are high-touch surfaces that should be kept clean at home and at the office. To sterilize surfaces swiftly, you can also use disinfectant sprays. Regular surface cleaning can help stop the virus from spreading.
Practice Good Hygiene
This practice aids in preventing the flu virus from spreading. For at least 20 seconds at a time, clean your hands with water and soap. Wash the backs of your palms and the spaces in between your fingers, making sure you use enough soap. This ensures that the entire remaining virus gotten from surfaces is washed away.
Exercise
Being physically active is beneficial for your general health. It improves your circulation, maintains your joints strong and healthy, and aids in stress reduction. By boosting your immune system, regular exercise can also assist you in avoiding the flu. Your body’s immune cells can move more easily and combat foreign invaders once you’re exercising because of the improved blood circulation you experience. The immune system in your body, which is in charge of removing waste and toxins, is also stimulated by exercise.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Of course, this is not your first time hearing, or reading, about the benefits of a healthy diet. Keeping your body healthy should be a priority in your life. Your system absorbs various antioxidants and nutrients, essential for strengthening your immune system, by eating a well-rounded diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein. Additionally, nutritious foods support a healthy immune system by generating an ongoing flow of immune cells that protect your body and throat health.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated supports a healthy immune system, eating a balanced diet, and getting adequate sleep. Drinking water aids in detoxifying the body. Additionally, it maintains the mucous membranes of your nose canals wet, preventing virus intruders from entering your system.
Get Adequate Sleep
It’s important to have both adequate sleep and good sleep. Sleep deprivation may deteriorate your immune system, leaving you more prone to illness. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that sleep deprivation reduces your immune system’s capacity to create cytokines, which are proteins required to combat diseases and inflammation. The average adult needs seven to eight hours of undisturbed sleep every night.
Cover Your Nose and Mouth
The flu virus spreads whenever a sick person coughs, sneezes, or speaks, and particles are released into the air. These particles have the potential to touch surfaces and other persons. As a result, if you cough or sneeze, you must always keep your mouth and nose covered with a tissue. Doing this can keep others close to you from getting sick.
Avoid Touching Your Face
When you come into contact with something, or someone contaminated and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, bacteria, and infections, including the flu, are frequently transmitted. This is so that germs cannot enter such areas through the mucous membranes. An average person touches their face 23 times an hour, so it’s important to be careful, routinely clean your hands, and disinfect surfaces.
Avoid Close Contacts
In the previous six months, social isolation has become the norm; as a preventive measure, it should persist throughout flu season. In small areas, the flu can spread rapidly. Avoid contact with others if you are ill. Maintain a safe distance if you know a person who is ill.
Get a Flu Vaccine
Taking a flu vaccine is the only surefire way to avoid contracting the virus or experiencing serious symptoms from it. To avoid potential hospitalization, doctors advise everyone to obtain the vaccine, particularly the elderly. Once you’ve gotten the flu vaccination, it takes around two weeks to start working, so make your plans accordingly before the season. This vaccine creates a stronger immune response to fight the flu virus.
Conclusion
The above methods will help you keep up with this upcoming flu season. To stay immune to the virus, you are advised to follow the above procedures and keep yourself healthy throughout the flu season.
