Who doesn’t love the holidays? It’s a myriad of carols, Christmas shopping, decorations, lights, and just fun all around. It might be the best way to reconnect with old friends and distant family members over a holiday dinner and exchange gifts. But sadly, it might not happen if you find yourself coughing, sneezing, and feverish before the holidays and secured your post on your bed instead of preparing Christmas dinners.

December is always the month of exchanges – whether it’s bad or good, and it’s always important to keep yourself from getting sick in these gatherings. Why do you get sick easily during December? It’s actually the exchange of pathogens in gatherings, or maybe a weakened immune system due to the cold. It’s always important to wash your hands whenever you need to shake someone else’s hand or whenever there’s unnecessary contact.

You also need to keep your guests from getting sick too – make sure that your surroundings are clean and well-maintained before you invite them over in your house or office. You don’t want to be the source of the disease, so make sure that you deep clean your house and office before the party.

How to Avoid Getting Sick During the Holidays:

• Hand washing. This might be the most common solution to everything, but the power of cleaning your hands properly is more powerful than you thought. You have most of the germs on your hands due to constant interaction, work, and other social events – and it’s almost unavoidable to catch something from someone you shook hands with earlier. You can also pack sanitary gel or spray on alcohol if ever you can’t go to the nearest washroom.
• The handy flu shot. Give your body the best line of defense by getting a flu shot before the holiday parties and business happen. A flu shot takes effect a few weeks after and it would be too late if you do it during December. For some, people might feel lethargic and sick after the shot itself, so perhaps take a day off and rest it out to feel good again.
• Cleaning shared items and spaces. Places like the company pantry and copier machine are prone to storing bacteria and germs. Unlike to contrary belief, these germs and bacteria can survive a long duration of time – from days to weeks. To avoid the spread of bacteria and germs, ensure that these places are well-maintained with disinfectant chemicals and cleaned regularly. While it doesn’t overall make the shared spaces completely germ free, it might lessen the chances of contracting diseases from using shared items.
• Avoid sharing items as much as possible. Do you have that officemate or employee who keeps on borrowing random things like pens, scissors, and even your stress ball? Maybe it’s time to say no – it only takes a few coughs on their hands to give you a cold as well. No one wants to get sick nor welcome the new year with a stuffed nose and an itchy throat.