Avoiding colds, flu and COVID

During winter we spend a lot of time indoors, close to others, and often your house is packed with friends and family with parties with neighbours coming to have drinks and nibbles, full of fun, music, lots of laughter and conversation. 

Whilst you don’t want to let hygiene rules get in the way, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of avoiding getting a cold or flu.

The first thing is to know how you could get ill. People coughing or sneezing in your face will be spreading their germs to you directly, but there are other ways – via hands and surfaces. Hands can pick up viruses and spread them to others (handshakes, onto surfaces that are later touched) and also transfer viruses directly into your body via rubbing your eyes. I call this “journey of the germ.”

Of course, an annual flu vaccination is something I have always had, even when I had to pay for it (some years recently it seems to have been free). But you can still take some other hygiene measures to keep the respiratory infections in check. 

• For really busy events, open a window or two to get some fresh air circulating. Obviously not so good in winter, but even so it soon gets stuffy and people will like some fresh air.
• As a guest, if you have symptoms of illness, then stay at home with your germs!
• As the host, check the toilet for cleanliness and give the taps and door handles a wipe with a disinfectant wipe from time to time – or at least when you go in.
• Make sure there is delicious smelling soap to encourage use – not a grotty dirty bar that has cracks revealing dirt from previous users.
• The hand towel may get grubby quickly – it shouldn’t if people washed their hands properly but …they don’t do they? So either replace every hour, if it’s a busy party, or even better think of a single use option:
  • Put a stack of flannels for people to use and a basket for the used ones if you are feeling fancy – that is a great way to keep germs from spreading.
  • Alternatively put out thick paper napkins in a basket – these are a nice alternative. Make sure there is a bin.
• Hugs are more hygienic than hand shaking (you don’t know how dirty someone’s hands are)! Also if you are going to eat finger food, then best to keep your hands clean.
• Keep your hands out of your face – viruses can enter the body via the eyes, so if you have an urge to rub your eyes, wash your hands first or use your knuckle!
• If someone in the party is sneezing and coughing, I would try to keep out of their way as much as possible without being rude!
• Put some tissues around in case someone needs one – and a waste bin handy.

After the gathering

• When everyone has gone, open the doors and windows
• Wipe down high touch surfaces with a disinfecting wipe or paper towel with some hygienic cleaner on it. Use a separate cloth or wipe for the toilet area.
• Be careful if products are bleach based because it could attack surfaces.
• Surfaces to clean include:
  • taps
  • toilet flush
  • door handles
  • stair bannisters
  • tables
  • kitchen surfaces
• Then put your feet up!

When out and about

• When in public spaces be conscious of that journey of the germ! 
• Keep your distance from those coughing and spluttering if you can.
• Be aware of whether your hands are dirty – what have you touched?
• Keep your hands from your face, particularly your eyes.
• Wash your hands as soon as you get to your destination to wash the germs away.
• Take hand sanitiser with you to use whilst out if you can’t get to a basin.