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For some of us, making it through winter without illness is a pipe dream. But there are plenty of ways to avoid catching the common cold and the dreaded flu.
If you want to avoid getting sick, preventative measures include:
- Wash your hands – Keep hands clean so that transference of germs is kept to a minimum. Carrying some hand sanitiser is always a good idea in winter too.
- Watch out for tissues – Tissues left lying around is another way that a small sniffle can transfer to somebody else, so be sure to discard of all tissues straight away.
- Stay warm – By staying rugged up, you can reduce the risk of getting ill during the cooler months.
- Keep it clean – By keeping common use spaces clean, you can try to avoid passing on germs to family members and co-workers. Of course, if you are sick it is best to try and avoid the types of situations where you can pass illness onto other people.
The strongest preventative measure is getting the annual flu shot. The influenza vaccine offers people protection from contracting the flu.
Symptoms of the flu include: high fever, chills, head and muscle aches, runny noses, coughing, sneezing and poor appetite.
The flu can also develop into more serious illnesses, such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
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It is important to seek treatment from a doctor for any flu-like symptoms.
The common cold has some similar symptoms to the flu, but it is still best to seek medical advice to avoid further health complications.
The flu vaccine is available yearly from GPs and other providers. The Immunise Australia Program website said the vaccine was recommended for everyone from six months of age. Under the National Immunisation Program people who face a high risk from influenza can get the vaccine for free.
These people are: pregnant women, people aged 65 years and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged six months to less than five years or aged 15 years and older, and people aged six months and over with medical conditions such as severe asthma, lung or heart disease, low immunity or diabetes that can lead to complications from influenza. The Immunise Australia Program website also listed three things people may not know about the yearly flu shot:
- There is no live virus in the flu shot.
- The composition of the vaccine changes every year.
- The flu shot is safe for pregnant women at all stages of their pregnancy.
To beat the winter blues, try to avoid getting ill during the cooler by taking some preventative steps.
For more information: immunise.health.gov.au
