Flu season tips and tricks

The temperature is dropping, crowded storefronts are getting festive, and people are spending more time with family and friends.

Some call it the most wonderful time of the year, but others call it flu season.

The body has several natural defences against viruses, many of which don’t work as well when the air outside gets colder and drier. This leads to a significant increase in respiratory-based illnesses like influenza.

Flu season usually starts in the late fall to early winter months, or as Mohawk College students know it – exam season. So it is important for students to use precautions around this time of year, to help them stay on top of their studies, and not pass any illness along to their peers.

The first thing to protect against the flu is getting the vaccine. Influenza is a term used for a broad spectrum of similar viruses, but not every type is active each year, so when the flu starts appearing in early fall, doctors will determine which strains of the flu are going around and create a specialized vaccine for that year. This also means that even though someone might have gotten their flu vaccine last year, they may not be fully protected against the strains going around this year.

Other ways you can protect yourself and others are simple: wash your hands after coming into contact with high-touch surfaces, cover your face if you need to sneeze, and dig out those old COVID-era masks if you still have them.

Having the flu during a time as stressful to college students as exam season can be taxing, the best way to recover from the flu is to get plenty of rest, but when you need to study that can be difficult so setting a schedule and sticking to it is a key part of both recovering and preparing for finals.

Along with rest, getting enough fluids and nutrients is key to recovering from the flu, so if you can, try to make some home made chicken vegetable soup, The broth is filled with nutrients the body is likely to lose while fighting off an infection, and it’s a great way to rehydrate at the same time.

But the number one thing is to protect others, if you are sick and can stay home, stay home. And if that isn’t an option, wear a mask when you go out in public.