In the winter months, it seems like very few people are safe from some kind of illness — flu, COVID-19, norovirus, colds. While many of the germs that cause this affliction can circulate year-round, scientists believe the increase in flu and cold activity in the winter may be because we spend more time indoors and in cold, Dry air can weaken our defenses.
But knowing what these bugs are and how they spread can help. Although it may be difficult to stay completely safe this season, there are some things you can do to protect yourself from these respiratory and stomach viruses.
How do I know if I have a cold, flu, COVID-19, or something else?
Some symptoms are difficult to distinguish between diseases, especially with respiratory viruses. Others are unambiguous.
- Norovirus is a foodborne illness that can spread through water and contaminated surfaces and cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain for about one to three days.
- The common cold can be caused by many different types of viruses and can cause a runny nose, congestion, cough, sneezing, sore throat, headache, body aches, or mild fever for less than a week.
- Flu, caused by the influenza virus, which is always changing, causes fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headache, and feeling tired. Flu symptoms hit more quickly than cold symptoms and can last from a few days to two weeks.
- COVID-19 may cause fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, congestion, loss of smell or taste, fatigue, pain, headache, nausea, or vomiting that may last for several days.
- RSV can cause a runny nose, congestion, cough, sneezing, wheezing, fever, and loss of appetite for one or two weeks.
how to protect yourself
1. Wash your hands
One way to protect yourself from all viruses: wash your hands seriously. Wash hands vigorously and frequently – with soap! – Important for reducing the spread of norovirus, cold, flu and COVID-19.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says this is especially true after using the bathroom and eating or preparing food. Don’t speed through it. While cleaning your hands, count slowly to 20. If you don’t have access to soap and water, try a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol — though this isn’t enough to eliminate norovirus.
2. Cleaning surfaces can eliminate viruses
If you get norovirus, you’ll want to immediately clean surfaces that came in contact with contaminated food or bodily fluids. The CDC recommends disinfecting things with a chlorine bleach solution or one of the products listed on this Environmental Protection Agency’s website.
Don’t forget to wash any clothing that has come in contact with vomit or feces – use hot water and detergent. Then, wash your hands. again. In case of cold and flu, it is best to regularly clean surfaces with which you come in contact a lot. Think door handles, light switches, countertops, favorite toys, cellphones.
Use household cleaning products that contain soap or detergent, followed by sanitizer. The CDC has more tips on how to clean. COVID-19 typically spreads through droplets and particles in the air, and the CDC says the risk of spreading the virus from a contaminated surface is low.
3. Keeping your hands away from your face can keep viruses away
The virus can spread through talking, coughing and sneezing, so cover your mouth with a tissue if you feel a tickle in your throat or nose. Then, wash your hands. again. Also, even if you’re not sick, consider wearing an N95 or medical-grade mask in crowded areas to protect yourself from respiratory viruses.
Don’t touch your face: If you have a germ or virus on your unwashed hands — respiratory or norovirus — and you touch your face, eyes or nose, it can enter your mucous membranes and, voila!, you Are sick!
4. Consider a vaccine (if one exists)
Updated COVID-19 vaccines are available, as well as annual flu shots for people ages 6 months and older. For people age 60 and older or who are pregnant, you may want to get the RSV vaccine. But there is no vaccine for norovirus or the common cold. Another way to protect yourself against viruses: rest
Your immune system may not function well if you are sleep-deprived, stressed, or dehydrated. So don’t grind yourself into the ground if you can help it. Rest. Sleep drink water.
5. Stay home if you are sick
If you do get sick, prompt testing can help determine whether you have COVID-19 or influenza. It’s important to see if you need one of the drugs that can help prevent severe disease: Paxlovid for COVID-19 and Tamiflu for the flu.
Above all, stay home if you have symptoms to keep others from getting sick. To treat a cold, flu, or COVID-19, rest and drink fluids. You can take painkillers to reduce fever or get relief from body ache. A humidifier may also help symptoms.
There is no medicine for norovirus. Instead, you’ll need to rehydrate with water and other fluids as much as possible. Get help if you’re dehydrated and notice your mouth and throat are dry, you’re not urinating much, or you feel dizzy when you stand up.
