CHRISTMAS is the most wonderful time of the year – but it’s also prime season for sickness.
With all the festivities, big family gatherings, and shared food, it’s easy to fall into habits that help germs spread.
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Flu season is already in full swing, with one in four adults testing positive for the bug last week.
Health chiefs are now pleading with eligible Brits to get vaccinated immediately to avoid getting sick over the Christmas period.
People will no longer be able to get an appointment for a free flu jab via the National Booking Service after Thursday, December 19.
While the flu vaccine offers good protection, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll stay completely flu-free.
The jab is based on predictions, so if the virus mutates, it might be less effective.
Plus, it takes about two weeks for the shot to fully take effect, so you could catch the flu before immunity kicks in.
So how exactly do you avoid catching the germs from your uncle, who’s coughing and sneezing all over the Monopoly board?
“I certainly wouldn’t advocate isolating and not joining in on the festivities,” Benenden Health’s Matron, Dr Cheryl Lythgo, says.
“But I would recommend that you do all you can to keep yourself and your family healthy, most especially staying away from vulnerable individuals if you show symptoms of the flu.”
Dr Cheryl has shared some easy tips to help you adjust your holiday traditions and keep those bugs at bay.
Tip 1: Say goodbye to the charcuterie board
Is your family a fan of the picky charcuterie boards?
While they’re a hit for grazing, Dr Cheryl advises rethinking those communal platters.
“Rather than offering lots of sharing platters or doing ‘tear and share’ foods, try encouraging individual platters,” she says.
By limiting the sharing of finger foods, you can reduce viral spread through cross-contamination – when a bug is transferred from one substance or object to another.
It’s a small change (and perhaps a big sacrifice for cheese lovers) that could make a big difference in keeping everyone healthier.
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Tip 2: Avoid indoor gatherings
Instead of organising all gatherings inside like squeezing around the dinner table, how about meeting up for a lovely walk to catch up?
Not only will this help move some of that Christmas dinner through your bowels, but it will also limit the spread of infection.
Dr Cheryl says fresh air and social distancing can do wonders for everyone’s health during flu season.
Which cold and flu remedies actually work?
Isabel Shaw, health reporter, put nine well-known cold and flu remedies to the test when she was struck down with the lurgy.
Over a week, she tested products that targeted all symptoms associated with cold and flu, as well as treatments that only aimed to get rid of specific issues.
These included:
- Hot honey and lemon
- Steam inhalation and Vicks Vaporub
- Echinacea
- Chicken soup
- A spicy curry
- Beechams All-in-One Oral Solution
- Strepsils
- Lemsip Max
- Sudafed Blocked Nose Spray
She took into account pain reduction, and how quickly and for how long they worked.
Read her full verdicts here.
Tip 3: Wash your hands during board games
Christmas is the perfect time to play family games.
But many encourage very close contact and the passing of game pieces between players sometimes unwashed hands.
If a competitive game of Monopoly is a must, the expert recommends keeping a bottle of antibacterial gel close by.
“Make sure to wash your hands pre-and post-game, and for any sneezes and coughs in between.”
This small habit will help you play without the worry of spreading germs.
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Who can get a free flu vaccine?
In line with JCVI advice, those eligible for a flu vaccine this year include:
- Those aged 65 years and over
- Those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book)
- Those at serious risk, including those with a BMI over 40, diabetes, heart and breathing conditions
- Those in long-stay residential care homes
- Carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer-led occupational health scheme – including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers
- Those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants.
From September 1:
- Pregnant women
- All children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024
- Primary school-aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
- Secondary school-aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
- All children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
How to book your seasonal jab
Up until December 19, you can book your flu jabs through:
- The NHS App
- The NHS website
- Calling 119 if you need help finding sites still offering winter vaccinations
- Your local GP practice
It’s still possible to book your vaccinations after 19 December through local NHS vaccination services, like pharmacies or walk-in sites, but there will be fewer slots available.
