How can I stay healthy as I celebrate the holidays with my family and friends this season?
Signed,
A concerned mom of teens in California
To reduce your risk of getting sick while gathering with friends and family, use tried-and-true layers of protection. Vaccines, masking, ventilation, hand-washing, testing, and staying home all work together to keep uninvited viral guests at bay.
đ Get vaccinated for flu and Covid. Vaccines don’t make you bulletproof, but they do moderately reduce the risk of getting infected and dial down infections from “wild to mild”.These vaccines help protect you from severe illness and reduce your risk of getting long Covid. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu and Covid vaccine every year. You can get all your vaccines at the same time and protect yourself all season. If youâre eligible for an RSV vaccine, nowâs a great time to get that, too. Learn more about the RSV vaccine at TNGâs recent post and about vaccine timing in general . (Sources: CDC and CDC)
đ· Mask strategically. Masks have the greatest impact in higher-risk settings like public transit, airplanes, crowded indoor spaces, or poorly ventilated areas. Keep a high-quality, well-fitting mask (like a KN-95 or KF-94) handy. Itâs also thoughtful to mask around vulnerable individuals, such as elderly family members, to help protect them. Want to learn more? Visit âWhat is the best way to wear a mask sometimes?â (Sources: Yale Medicine , NIOSH guide to good mask fit)
đȘ Open windows. An open window can do wonders for decreasing the risk of spreading airborne viruses. Covid and other respiratory viruses like flu and the common cold travel through the air, so being indoors in an enclosed space with other people can increase your risk of getting sick. Open windows allow fresh air to reduce the amount of viruses that are hanging around in the air, bringing down your risk of catching a cold, the flu, or Covid. Even if itâs very cold outside, consider cracking open a window to increase air flow. (Source: ASHRAE)
đ§Œ Wash your hands. This age-old advice never goes out of style! Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water helps rinse germs down the drain. Wash with soap for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating or preparing food and after using the bathroom. If youâre not able to get to a sink, hand sanitizer is a good option, but wash your hands with soap and water as soon as you can — soap gets rid of some germs that hand sanitizer canât, like those that cause the stomach flu (norovirus). Read more about handwashing and hand sanitizer here. (Source: CDC)
đ Stay home if youâre not feeling well. Itâs not always easy to stay home, especially in the busy holiday season, but your actions can greatly impact your family and friends. If you have to go out when youâre not feeling well, wear a mask around other people, especially indoors. (Source: CDC)
đŠ Testing. If you feel unwell and arenât sure if itâs a cold, COVID or flu, consider using a home test (rapid antigen test). COVID tests can be especially helpful with kids and teens, who often have mild COVID symptoms but can infect others who may not get off so easily. Knowing what you have can help guide your precautions and your treatment. COVID tests work best 2-4 days after symptom onset and should be repeated 1-2 days later if negative (one negative test is not enough!). Read more about COVID tests here. (Source: FDA)
Be safe and be well!
Love,
Those Nerdy Girls
