Cold and Flu etiquette

The early symptoms of a cold are typically a sore throat and runny nose, followed by coughing and sneezing. Most people recover in 7–10 days on average. By performing the following, you can lessen your risk of having a cold:

· Wash your hands with soap and water frequently. Give them a 20-second wash, and assist little ones in doing the same. Use a hand sanitizer with an alcohol basis if soap and water are not accessible. Regular handwashing can help keep you healthy because cold-causing viruses can reside on your hands.

· Avoid using unwashed hands to touch your mouth, nose, or eyes. This is how coldcausing viruses can get into your body and make you ill.

· Keep your distance from those who are ill. Through close touch, sick people can pass germs that cause the common cold to others.

· Keep kids out of crèche or school while they are sick, and stay home yourself if you are sick.

· Avoid physical closeness by not embracing, kissing, or shaking hands with others.

· When you sneeze or cough, step away from others.

· Cough and sneeze into a tissue, then discard it, or completely cover your mouth and nose while doing so while coughing and sneezing into your upper shirt sleeve.

· After sneezing, sniffling, or blowing your nose, wash your hands.

· Disinfect toys, doorknobs, and other items that are often touched, such as mobile devices.

· Sharing food or beverages is a wonderful way to transfer cold virus bacteria.

· If at all feasible, reschedule your travel arrangements to stay off the plane or take the bus while you’re feeling under the weather.

· Whenever possible, cover your mouth and nose with a cold/flu mask.

A cold has no known treatment. You should relax a lot and hydrate yourself to feel better. While over-the-counter medications may help reduce symptoms, they won’t hasten the recovery from a cold. Medication usage should always be in accordance with the label. Before giving your child over-the-counter cold medications, consult your doctor because some of these products contain substances that shouldn’t be given to kids.