Cold and Flu Prevention in the Workplace

Cold and Flu Prevention – It’s that time of year again, the time when you start hearing coughing and sneezing throughout the office and a box of tissues is placed conveniently near your computer keyboard. This month, we focus on ways to prevent the spread of cold and flu in the workplace.

But first, some of the Myths….

Myth 1: Take antibiotics
Fact: Antibiotics only act on bacterial infections, not viruses.

Myth 2: Starve a cold and feed a fever/flu
Fact: There is no conclusive evidence for withholding or increasing food or drink intake to reduce the symptoms or duration of a cold. The body needs adequate nutrition and fluids, especially during stress, to maintain body functions.

Myth 3: Vaccines prevent colds
Fact: Vaccines only work against the specific type of influenza virus for which it was designed, and there are no effective universal vaccines against the common cold viruses.

Myth 4: Take Vitamin C to prevent or stop colds
Fact: Vitamin C trials have shown encouraging results for reducing some cold symptoms and reducing the duration of illness; however, it does not cure or prevent infection.

Myth 5: Dress warmly, or you’ll catch a cold
Fact: While it’s important to keep warm, colds are spread person-to-person or from contact with a contaminated surface.

Cold and Flu Prevention -What to do

• Wash Your Hands (including your thumbs) for at least 15-20 seconds with soap use a paper towel. Following contact with potentially contaminated surfaces which are things like door handles, door panels, keyboards, phones, general office and work equipment like the photocopier or kitchen items like the coffee pot, kettle and vending machine not forgetting the buttons for the lift, use a hand sanitiser
• Avoid contact with people who have a cold or flu.
• If you need to sneeze or cough, then do so in a tissue and throw it way. If you do not have a tissue cough or sneeze into your elbow and not your hand.
• Keep hydrated and drink plenty of warm drinks try to avoid milky drinks if possible. Avoid alcohol.
• Eat healthy food, eating well ensures you are getting the right nutrition to fight the cold or flu.
• Try and get some exercise but also get plenty of rest.
• Try not to get stressed, getting stressed can decrease immunity
• If you have a cold or the flu, some over the counter medication can help, so first visit a pharmacist and get advice if in doubt visit the doctor but do so after you’ve had advice from the pharmacist.