The holiday season is here, and although it is the most wonderful time of the year, it’s also the time of year when colds, the flu and other respiratory illnesses are most common. We encourage you to follow these tips to keep your whole family healthy for the holidays:
For the whole family:
- Ensure each member of your family gets their annual flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine and booster, if eligible.
- Stay home if you feel sick, especially if you have a fever or are showing symptoms of flu or other respiratory virus.
- Wash your hands regularly or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before and after eating and after using the restroom.
- Regularly disinfect shared surfaces in your home, like doorknobs, refrigerator door handles and light switches.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes (with a tissue or your elbow, not your hands!).
- Don’t share cups, dishes or eating utensils with others.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Sleep is an important part of staying healthy! Be sure to get plenty of sleep each night.
- As tempting as it is to indulge in tasty foods during the holidays, be sure to stick to a healthy diet – healthy foods support a healthy immune system.
For families with babies, young children and older adults:
- Ensure people who interact with your baby are not sick and wash their hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer first.
- Avoid taking infants, children at high risk of complications from respiratory viruses and older adults to places where lots of people gather indoors.
- Ask your primary care provider about medicine available to help prevent severe illness in certain infants and children who are at high risk for severe disease.