Football, backyard campfires, multi-colored landscapes, pumpkin carving, and Halloween festivities. The month of October brings awesome activities and traditions that people of all ages can enjoy. However, for those working in the health care industry, the month of October brings in one of the busiest times of the year: the dreaded cold and flu season.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 5-20% of the U.S. population contracts the influenza virus in any given year. Cold and flu season can start as early as October and run as late as May, but typically doesn’t peak until after the start of the new year. Stocking up on tissues or cough drops is a safe bet during the winter months, but let’s take a look at the most effective actions you can take to lower your chances of contracting the flu virus in the first place.
Wash Hands Regularly With Soap
Handwashing is easy to do and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness in all settings. Rub your hands together to make lather and scrub them all over, very well, for at least 20 seconds.
Sanitize Infected Areas Thoroughly
Although it is more common for the flu to be spread through direct contact with an infected individual, the virus can be spread by contact with surfaces carrying the virus such as desks, door handles, and keyboards.
Commit To A Healthy Diet
Getting the correct amount of essential vitamins and nutrients can help strengthen your immune system, allowing the body to naturally fend off the flu virus.
Get Regular Exercise
Regular exercise helps strengthen your immune system and releases chemicals that help fight diseases in the body.
What’s the Risk?
Cold and flu season is not only a threat to our health, but also a threat to the productivity of our businesses. People are much less productive when they don’t feel well, which can affect the productivity and morale of an entire team. So what can companies do to help prevent lower productivity during this time of the year?
Reduce Presenteeism
Presenteeism is term for employees coming to work while they are sick. Encourage employees to stay home when they are sick and contagious. Although it may show dedication to come to work when sick, it’s counterproductive. Not only are employees less productive when ill, but they also run the risk of spreading the illness to surrounding co-workers. This could lead to more absenteeism or presenteeism, and the cycle continues.
Educate!
Communicate with your employees on how to stay healthy during the winter months. It can be as simple as a quick note on a bulletin board, a brochure on cold and flu season, or a short seminar on health and wellness. These tasks may seem time consuming, but the return on your investment may be greater than you imagine!
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