6 Tips To Prep for Flu Season

Get vaccinated, consider wearing a mask and stock your medicine cabinet

The flu can be a serious illness. And while we all know how it feels to be laid up with the flu (fever, body aches, stuffy or runny nose), it doesn’t mean it’s any easier to deal with the virus when it happens to you.
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So, what steps can you take to protect yourself and your loved ones?

Infectious disease specialist Kristin Englund, MD, shares how to prepare for flu season, as well as what you can do if you do get the flu this year.

How to prepare for flu season

It starts with getting your flu shot, but there’s a few other things you can do as well to help reduce the likelihood you’ll get the flu.

Get your flu shot

Studies show the flu vaccine reduces your risk of flu illness overall and makes it less likely that you’ll get severely sick if you do become infected.

“The flu vaccine not only protects you, but it also protects all the loved ones around you,” says Dr. Englund.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months gets vaccinated.

“We recommend that people get a flu vaccine in September and October so we’re prepared for the beginning parts of the flu season,” Dr. Englund concurs. “We have seen in recent years that flu season can show up sooner and last a lot longer. So, it’s really important to get the flu vaccine as soon as it’s available for you.”

Wear a mask

While it’s not required to wear a mask — even when you’re sick — it all comes down to personal preference (you may choose to wear one during your weekly grocery shopping) and doing your part of limit the spread of viruses like the flu and COVID-19.

“I would encourage you to wear masks during the respiratory illness season,” says Dr. Englund. “There’s a lot of different viruses that can cause harm, not just COVID-19 or the flu.”

Stay vigilant with safety precautions

The flu virus spreads through droplets from the nose or mouth.

Many of the things you’ve done in the past to prevent the spread of COVID-19 — like getting vaccinated, wearing a mask in public, staying six feet away from others and washing your hands frequently — could also reduce your chances of being exposed to the flu virus.

“I’m very comfortable continuing to wear my mask and using hand hygiene and social distancing when I go out in public, even though I’ve been COVID-19 vaccinated and will be flu vaccinated,” Dr. Englund shares.

Know what to do if you get sick

The flu and COVID-19 have many overlapping symptoms, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and muscle aches.