This time of year it seems like everyone is getting sick. This year’s cold and flu season has been brutal, and officials have said that this year’s flu season was on track to be one of the worst in decades. The many students that are being affected by this year’s cold and flu season can attest to that.

People around us are constantly getting sick, especially right now, so it’s important we know how to protect ourselves from getting a cold or the flu.

To avoid getting the flu or a cold this year, some things you should do is get your flu vaccination, avoid people who are already sick, wash your hands and keep hand sanitizer on yourself. 

“Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 30 seconds,” school nurse Ms. Thomason said is the best way to prevent getting sick.

Another thing you can do to avoid sickness is to remember to take care of yourself. Get a good night’s sleep, stay hydrated, eat healthily and make sure to stay active. Taking care of yourself and your body can, unfortunately, be an afterthought for a lot of people. It’s important to take time for self-care to not only take care of your physical health but also your mental health.

If you are already sick, some things you can do to get better is to get some rest, stay hydrated and get an over the counter medicine. You can also take a hot shower, eat a spoonful of honey or gargling saltwater for a sore throat and you can drink a hot beverage to help with a sore throat or fatigue. 

Nurse Thomason suggests drinking lots of water, resting and nourish your body with good food choices.

While you are sick, don’t come to school or work; take the time to get better and rest. You can worry about the work you missed later-just take this time to recover and get back to school when your better so you don’t get anyone else sick.

You may be wondering, why am I getting sick now? The reason that everyone gets sick in winter is the temperature. The flu virus survives better in cool, dry temperatures. It is an airborne disease, meaning that for it to spread it has to survive long enough in the air to infect people. Unfortunately, the cold temperatures act as a bodyguard for the flu virus. It’s very important to be cautious about your health right now. 

“The flu is one of those silent and contagious diseases that we see every year and millions of Americans get the flu. Unfortunately, there are some population segments that are more at risk like the elderly, the young, and pregnant women,” Dr. David Shih told CBS News.

As Dr. David Shih said, it is easier to get sick if you’re younger or don’t have a good immune system, so be careful and take care of yourself.