Even though the cold and flu season is coming to a close, you still want to be careful that you do not contract the illness. There are many small things that you can do to keep the virus away from your body. As much as we would love to see you at Medics USA, we want you to remain healthy as long as possible and leave your trip to urgent care for something more severe. Here are some tips on how to keep colds and the flu at bay.
Wash your hands
This may seem like a no-brainer but the sad truth is that many people do not wash their hands as often as we would like them to. Touching your face, nose, mouth, shoes and every other place will spread germs like wildfire and get everyone, including yourself, sick. For those who work in an office setting, your keyboard is an infestation of germs that go straight to your face when you scratch it. So wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer at your desk.
Flu shot
It is estimated that up to about 20 percent of the United States population will contract the flu every year, yet many of us refuse to get the flu shot. Getting the flu shot can reduce your chances of contracting the flu by more than 50 percent but, still, many question the effectiveness of the vaccine. The best way to protect yourself from contracting the virus is to get the shot no matter how effective you hear the vaccine is. It is better than doing nothing. And when you get through the whole cold and flu season without getting the flu, you will be thankful you got the vaccine.
Stay home
If you are one of the millions of unlucky people that do get sick, the best thing you can do is stay home. Going into work or school is going to cause you to be more tired than you already are, cause you to stay sick longer and get everyone you come in contact with sick. There is no shame in taking a day off to recover and coming back feeling refreshed and rested.
Limit touching
As we have stated already, touching your eyes, mouth and eyes is a great way to not only spread germs but also get germs in your system causing you to get sick. If you can avoid touching your face, do so but if that is not possible, keep your hands and the surfaces you work on as clean as possible. Make sure to wash your hands after sneezing and coughing as well, especially if you don’t use the inside of your elbow.
Doing these simple preventative measures will help you continue to stay healthy and well. However, sometimes no matter what you do to prevent yourself from getting sick, it happens. When you are feeling your worst the doctors at Medics USA Urgent Care will be here to help you start feeling better. Come and see us today and get seen in less than 20 minutes.