Smack in the middle of one of the nation’s deadliest flu seasons ever, it’s important to take the steps necessary to keep yourself and your family healthy. Avoiding the flu starts with proper vaccination, continues with everyday prevention, and is, in unfortunate cases, addressed immediately with proper treatment.
Everyday prevention involves awareness and action, not only during flu season, but each and every day of the year. It’s being mindful of what you touch, your breathing habits, and the cleanliness of daily items or instruments. Steps should be taken in a deliberate manner when exposed to large crowds, children, or when spending expected periods of time in public places.
Finally, in the fateful event that you do fall ill, it’s your obligation to society to attempt a personal quarantine until symptoms subside—or to at least not actively spread the virus. Riding out a flu isn’t fun for anyone, but provides as good an opportunity as any to finally binge a series you’ve been yearning to watch.
Essential things needed during Flu Season
Vitamin C
Vitamin C boosts are available in a few forms. At least one variant should be kept in the house for when precursor symptoms start to flare up. The first runny nose, a slight overnight cough—these are critical times for treatment and containment.
Tea
A simple cup of tea can be soothing on a sore throat while the steam can often clear sinuses and help breathing. Lavender blends are good as a sleep aid or relaxant when coughing fits have you at wit’s end.
CBD
There are many health benefits to using CBD, and helping keep the flu at bay is another one. While cannabidiol certainly won’t cure the flu, it can help boost your immune system and help prevent the flu, or at least ease the symptoms while you recover. If your new to CBD, you can get 15% off your first purchase with these cbdMD coupon codes.
Sanitary wipes
Be mindful of daily surfaces in your home, ie: cabinet handles, door knobs, phones, remotes, light switches—especially during flu season. Anything touched by more than one person a day is at risk of infection and can be the catalyst that sends your whole family to bed rest. Get serious about things and replace the living room candy dish with a container of wet naps.
Tissues
Facial tissue is an obvious item on the shopping list once you or a loved one is confirmed to be sick. It goes without saying that mucus expelled by a sick person should be contained and disposed of in the most sanitary way possible to avoid contamination of people, places, and things.
Humidifier or purifier
Dry conditions are said to be an accelerant of the flu virus. A specialized purchase, to be sure, a humidifier could be a worthwhile purchase for individuals or families especially prone to catching the flu.
Disinfectant
While the flu is technically a virus—not brought upon by bacteria—flu sufferers are more prone to secondary bacterial infection. The combination is a deadly one.
Even if you need to play six degrees of separation to connect a member of your family to an active flu case, it’s time to play defense. Disinfectant versions of laundry detergent, sprays, and wipes should be kept on-hand for special cases.
Throat spray and lozenges
Ah, sweet relief. Though fleeting, the soothing benefits of throat spray treatments and lozenges are a necessary slingshot for all families to wield in the modern warfare that is treating the flu.
Decongestant
Another standard flu treatment, decongestant can come in liquid or pill form and is intended to dry up the sloppiness that is usually the result of the flu taking hold in one’s respiratory system.
Aspirin or ibuprofen
Pain, pain—go away. No one wants a slamming headache, ever, especially while mopping the floors of their own mucus and putting out fires in their throat. Over-the-counter pain medication is a household item that should remain in good stock.