Covid-19 vs.The Upcoming Flu Season

With the upcoming flu season lingering and COVID-19 still finding its way around, there’s a lot to prepare for this season. 

While both the flu (Influenza) and COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) are very contagious respiratory illnesses, they have their similarities and differences. These viruses share symptoms such as 

• fever or chills 
• Shortness of breath / difficulty breathing
• Fatigue and tiredness 
• Sore throat 
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle pain / body aches
• Headache 

With the current threat of COVID-19 adding other symptoms such as loss of taste and smell, it's imperative that we arm ourselves with the right tools to avoid these illnesses at all costs. 

There are many ways to reduce the impact and keep you and your loved ones safe during such a time. In a time when social distancing and quarantine doesn’t seem to be doing enough, we need to make sure we are covering our bases in all areas to protect ourselves. Covering your face with a mask has been proven to slow down the rates of infection. Facial coverings have been widely used many times with great results during flu season, but they matter now more than ever with another possible risk of COVID-19 still haunting our daily lives. Masks, face shields and goggles have all been key factors in helping control and slow down the spread of these harmful viruses. Making sure you have your face covered can greatly reduce your chances of contracting both of these looming viruses. Facial coverings have been mandated in a majority of public places, and are very valuable in stopping the spread of these respiratory illnesses. 

Another major key to always keep in mind is covering your hands. Using gloves in shared or public areas can protect you from coming into contact with either of these viruses. Covering your hands and making sure to wash them thoroughly before and after use of proper gloves can be very instrumental to your safety. We put our hands on so many things without even thinking about it first, but in times like these we need to be more aware and more vigilant. Having the proper protection of your hands when in social settings or public places can be the very big difference between a painful virus, or a happy healthy life. 

Keeping a clean home is also among these factors that should never be overlooked. While we do a lot to make sure our homes are clean, taking a few extra easy steps this season will really help clear out these viruses from your home. Keeping frequently used surfaces and areas in your home disinfected it vital to staying healthy. Using disinfectant wipes on countertops, doorknobs and light switches has shown immeasurable value in keeping yourself safe against such viruses. Disinfectant wipes bring so much ease in keeping your home clean and a lot more stress free. Wiping down a few commonly used areas in your home you can essentially make huge strides to keep you and those around you safe. It’s also a very good practice to keep some in your vehicle or close by whenever you can, as you never know what situations might arise and the things you could come in contact with. 

Hand sanitizers and hand soaps play a major role in every season that comes with varying sicknesses. The CDC has shown numerous times that clean hands mean a healthier life. Keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you can really give you that extra boost of safety in times like these. Your hands seem to always get you in the most trouble, and even more so if you don’t keep them clean. With the amount of surfaces and items that our hands touch everyday, something as simple as hand sanitizer can show drastic changes in spreading illnesses, especially during flu season. 

With COVID-19 being a relatively new illness there is more and more information coming out every day. Scientists are working around the clock to help fight with us against this infectious illness. Keeping up to date with the new information is extremely important for the upcoming months. Making sure to follow these few easy steps that have been proven to be extremely effective is something that we should all be focusing our efforts on to make sure the only thing we are passing this season is love and good health!