For some, the holiday season is filled with what seems like endless activities that include travel, shopping, attending parties and events, and visiting with family.
To that end, there are resources available to help celebrants stay healthy and avoid getting sick during this time of year, officials said.
“The holidays are definitely a tough time of the year,” Northern Kentucky Health Department Public Information Officer Skip Tate said. “Our stress levels are up, because there’s so much to do. We’re indoors because of the weather. Plus, we’re around a lot of people. It’s the perfect storm for spreading germs.”
Before you know it, you have a sneezy nose, a queasy stomach and a wheezy body, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put up a fight, Tate said.
“Get a flu and COVID-19 vaccine,” Tate said. “Vaccines have gotten a bad rap over the past few years, and it’s totally undeserved. Vaccines are safe and effective, and they’re the best way to fight getting COVID or the flu.”
Keeping things clean is also imperative, Tate said.
“Good hygiene is always a good practice, but the holidays are especially a good time to wipe things down and clean things up,” Tate said. “Cover your cough when you sneeze. Wash your hands—a lot! Clean commonly touched surfaces. Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.”
If someone is not feeling well, Tate recommends staying home.
“Yes, it stinks to miss a party or family gathering, but do yourself and everyone else a favor and don’t go,” Tate said. “Curl up under a blanket instead. You’ll feel better faster. They’ll thank you for not sharing your germs. There will always be another party.”
As an aside, here are ten things that germs cling to that you should sanitize immediately, Tate said:
- Your cellphone.
- Your computer keyboard and mouse.
- Doorknobs and light switches.
- The kitchen counter and faucets.
- Stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets.
- Your desk or work surface.
- Television emotes.
- Bathroom faucets, toilet flush handles, and counters.
- Your car steering wheel.
- Your keys.
Meanwhile, Fort Wright-based Passport Health recommends travelers consult with a travel medicine specialist to assess travel-related risks and provide information to ensure health and safety while minimizing any undesirable effects while traveling.
“Travel health medicine has been around a while, but it is often something people don’t think of or aren’t familiar with,” Passport Health Operations Manager Elizabeth Leslie said.
Passport Health offers the following tips as a means of staying healthy throughout the holiday season:
- Make sure you are up to date on your general wellness vaccines, especially flu, COVID, RSV, and pneumonia (if appropriate).
- Schedule a consult with a travel health specialist if traveling internationally for the holidays.
- Consider wearing a face mask if you will be in crowded places, particularly while shopping at the mall, in an airport, or at a concert.
Additionally, there are various over-the-counter medicines to help ease whatever ails you, Tate said.
“Identify your symptoms and then search the shelves,” Tate said. “If that doesn’t work, call your doctor, who can prescribe antiviral medicines.”
Maintaining a healthy routine throughout the holiday could also prove beneficial to recovery efforts in the event of an issue, Tate said.
“Eat right, get lots of sleep, drink plenty of fluids, exercise,” Tate said. “If you do get sick, it’s easier to bounce back if you were in good shape beforehand.
In general, just take it easy, Tate said.
“No matter how hard you try to ignore or pretend you aren’t sick, you are,” Tate said. “It just has to run its course. If you don’t rest and give your immune system the strength to fight, it just might take even longer.”
This time of year is COVID, plus cold and flu season, according to NKY Health.
“COVID isn’t going away,” Tate said. “It’s not as threatening as it was initially, but it’s still bad. So we’re merging them all together. Welcome to the new normal. COVID is going to have annual variants, just like the flu. It’s still dangerous, especially to older adults.”
If you have insurance, contact your primary care physician or local pharmacy to get the vaccines, Tate said.
“If you don’t have insurance, our health centers offer the flu vaccine,” Tate said. “For the COVID vaccine, the federal government has a Bridge Program for those who are uninsured that pays for the cost.