Prevention
Prevention
You cannot protect yourself completely from seasonal viruses, but you can realistically lower your chances of falling ill and of passing an infection on to your family. Most of prevention comes down to simple habits at home, plus one important decision worth discussing with your doctor before the season starts.
The best prevention looks boring: washed hands, an open window and a timely decision to stay at home.
What you will need
- Time to talk to your doctor about the flu jab
- Soap at every sink and clean towels
- Paper tissues and a lidded bin for them
- A thermometer that you have at home and that works
- A list of important numbers: 112 and 103 in Russia (or your local emergency number) and your doctor's practice
- An agreement with your family about who covers for whom if someone falls ill
Discuss the flu jab with your doctor
WHO describes vaccination as the most effective way to prevent flu. Protection wanes over time and the vaccine composition is regularly updated to match the viruses circulating in the new season, which is why a yearly jab is recommended. The decision for each family member is made with a doctor.
A made-up example: at an autumn appointment, a woman mentions that she is expecting a baby, and the doctor explains separately what this means for her decision about the jab.
Make handwashing a habit
Wash your hands after being outside or on public transport and before eating, then dry them thoroughly. The virus gets into the body not only through the air but also from dirty hands when we touch our eyes, nose or mouth.
A made-up example: a family puts a short note saying “Hands first” by the front door, and soon nobody forgets any more.
Cough and sneeze the right way
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the used tissue away straight away. If you do not have a tissue to hand, use the crook of your elbow rather than your palm.
A made-up example: a box of tissues and a lidded bin stand in the hallway, which helps children remember the rule better than a spoken reminder.
Air your rooms
Let fresh air into your home regularly, especially in bedrooms and wherever the whole family gathers. Do it in a way that nobody gets cold sitting in a draught.
A made-up example: while the parents air the children's bedroom, the children have breakfast in the kitchen and then come back to a fresh room.
Keep your distance from people who are ill
Where possible, avoid close contact with people who have signs of a cold. This applies to guests, colleagues and relatives who come to visit despite a cough.
A made-up example: a grandmother with a runny nose moves her visit to the grandchildren to the following week, and everyone happily catches up on a video call instead.
Stay at home when you feel unwell
If you feel feverish or weak, or start coughing, do not go to work or school. That way you look after yourself and the people around you. Your doctor and your HR department can tell you how to arrange sick leave.
A made-up example: an employee who wakes up with a fever messages their manager to say they are staying home and arranges for a colleague to cover urgent tasks.
Talk through a plan in case of illness
Decide which room the person who is ill can rest in, who gets their own cup, plate and towel, and who does the shopping and collects the children. Write down 112 and 103 in Russia (or your local emergency number) and your doctor's number somewhere easy to see.
A made-up example: over dinner, the family decides that if one adult falls ill they will move into the living room, while the other takes over the school run.
Common mistakes
- Putting off the conversation about the flu jab until an epidemic is in full swing
- Going to work with a fever “so as not to let colleagues down”
- Coughing into your hand and then touching door handles
- Keeping the windows shut all winter for fear of draughts
- Building a home medicine kit from internet tips instead of talking to a doctor
- Assuming that a jab from previous years will last a long time
If that is not possible
- If it is hard to get a doctor's appointment, write down your questions about the flu jab in advance and ask them at your next routine visit
- If there is no sink nearby, wash your hands as soon as you can and avoid touching your face until then
- If you cannot give the person who is ill a separate room, set aside a corner for them and air the room more often
- If your job does not let you stay at home, discuss remote working with your manager before the season starts
Check yourself
- I know when and with whom I will discuss the flu jab this season
- There is soap and a clean towel at every sink
- We have tissues and a working thermometer at home
- The family knows to stay at home when unwell
- We have decided where the person who is ill will rest and who will look after them
- 112 and 103 in Russia (or our local emergency number) and our doctor's number are written somewhere easy to see
Read next
- Topics
Flu, other respiratory viruses, lingering coughs, the flu season and risk groups, topic by topic, plus our article catalogue.
- Home care
Caring for someone who is ill without medicines: rest, fluids, fresh air, their own cup and towel, and close attention.
- Ask a doctor
What to ask your doctor about the flu jab, illness at home, children, older relatives and long-term conditions.
- Glossary
Flu and cold vocabulary in plain English, from incubation period and strain to placebo and sick note.
Sources
- WHO — Influenza (seasonal) fact sheet
- Russian health authorities and the health authority of your country — general recommendations
- Russian public health authorities — seasonal recommendations
This page is based on general information about seasonal flu available at the time of writing. Advice is updated every season, so check with your doctor what is right for you and your family.