Should you go to work with a cold? How to skip the DREADED winter flu this Christmas

It's that time of year again when we're all trying to dodge the cold and flu virus

IT'S officially cold and flu season, but there is a way to avoid the dreaded illnesses this year.

 

Sitting next to someone on the bus when they have a streaming cold is never a desirable option, but you don't have to share germs. 

Hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley shared the secrets of her trade with us exclusively on NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com. 

 

Do you know the best way to NOT get the winter flu this festive seasons? You will do after reading this. 

How do you pick up a cold?

Colds are picked up by the virus getting from one person to the next.

This can be simply by someone coughing or sneezing in your face, but a little known fact is that germs can be spread via hand contact – someone with a cold puts the virus on to their hands (whilst sneezing, coughing or using a tissue) and then transfers the virus to a surface (such as a desk, a keyboard, a surface on the train) which is then picked up by someone else.

That person then touches their eyes or nose and the transfer is complete. The following diagrams may help.

How does that differ to catching the flu?

It doesn’t – the route of infection is the same, but the symptoms and severity are different.

 

Colds can be equally annoying and frustrating when you're bed-bound

Should you go into work if you have a cold? Or flu?

It is better to stay at home and rest if you have a cold or the flu to aid recovery and also to avoid spreading your germs around the public transport system, the office school or anywhere where others may be infected.

If you do go to work, then if you hot-desk, disinfect your work area – including the phone, keyboard and mouse) with a disinfectant wipe that kills viruses so that you are not leaving a trail of viruses for the next user.

Wash your hands frequently and keep kids at home until they are better 

Can it be transferred by sitting near a person who's ill?

Possibly if that person sneezes or coughs in your face, or on to a surface that you then touch

How can you prevent it?

• Hand washing with soap – it is as simple as that.
• If you are out and about on public transport, then try to keep away from anyone who is obviously ill – you could put a scarf over your face or turn away if they are coughing and sneezing.
• Keep your hands off your face  - don’t rub your eyes.
• Use a hand gel that is anti-viral to kill off any viruses you have picked up.
• At home, if someone is ill, then take action to contain the illness and protect yourself and the family

You should always ditch the tissues in a plastic bag and chuck them - don't let them pile up

What should your first response be if you think you're coming down with something?

Most things won’t help. According to scientists, the only thing that may help otherwise healthy people is 75mg per day zinc taken (in lozenges) within 24 hours of the onset of a cold in healthy people. (Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001364.pub4/abstract NHS)

What are your top tips for avoiding illnesses?

• Wash your hands when you get home or get to the office.
• Use a hand gel if you can’t get to a basin, and above all, don’t rub your eyes or nose when travelling.
• Avoid sitting near someone who is obviously ill – turn away from them on public transport or protect yourself with a scarf over your face
• Don’t rub your eyes or nose
• Wear gloves on public transport – it will stop you being tempted to rub your eyes and may protect your hands
• If someone in the home is ill, clean any surfaces they may have contaminated with an anti-microbial product such as Dettol which will kill the virus particles so they can’t be transmitted via hand-contact surfaces.

Is it too late if you think you're getting cold/flu - is it prevention rather than protection?

Once you have a cold, there is not much you can do to get rid of it – anti-biotics don’t work on viruses. Prevention is always best - “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Benjamin Franklin

Getting a flu vaccine is really important, particularly if you are over 65 years, pregnant or vulnerable because of another illness.

Hand washing with soap and not rubbing your eyes or nose when out and about are really important preventive measures.

What are the differences between cold and flu?

I have heard it said that if you have a cold, you can pick up a £50 note off the floor by the bed, and if you have flu, then you can’t. 

 

It is better to stay at home and rest if you have a cold or the flu

If you do come down, what is the best course of medicine / behavior?

• Antibiotics don’t work so in most cases the best thing to do is rest, drink lots of water and ease the pain with a suitable pain relief medication – check with your chemist, doctor or NHS (by phone).
• Keep at home so you don’t spread the germs to others
• Try not to touch surfaces with germy hands – wash your hands frequently
• Don’t leave tissues lying around - bin them (put a plastic liner in the bin and tie it up to dispose in the main bin) or flush them down the loo
• If you have to sneeze or cough and don’t have a tissue, then do it into your sleeve rather than your hands
• Use an anti-microbial wipe to clean hand-contact surfaces to protect your family from catching your germs.