Ways To Avoid The Common Cold During A Pandemic

One downside of catching a common cold during a pandemic is your inability to determine whether it is a flu or a symptom of covid-19. With the onset of winter, people become prey to fever, sore throat, running nose, headache, body ache, and whatnot.

However, there are ways to avoid the flu naturally. We will share those tips and tricks to arm yourself and fight against the influenza virus.

What do you mean by flu or common cold?

It is caused by a strong virus that spreads faster and faster if the weather around you sends a shiver down your spine. This cold virus causes inflammation of your nose’s mucous membrane. The mucus when comes in contact with your throat becomes itchy.

A list of top three medicines for controlling the flu-like symptoms –

• Use any credible nasal drop to reduce the congestion in your nose.
• You need to thin down the secretion of mucous from the membranes, so, use mucolytics.
• If your throat is hurting beyond measure or your body is burning up due to fever, then take these tablets – ibuprofen, paracetamol, and aspirin.

Now, ever since the global pandemic has begun, the urge to take precautionary measures or finding ways to prevent a flu virus has become more than essential. It is the need of the hour.

What are the ways to prevent the common cold during the pandemic?

According to medical experts, following the precautionary protocols for public safety during the pandemic can also help in combating the common cold symptoms. This is because all these illnesses are caused by the transmission of droplets.

Your body’s job isn’t restricted to fighting off foreign enemies in the form of cold viruses through medicines. It is also about changing your lifestyle, your diet, and your knowledge of what to avoid and what to implement.

So, let us find a middle ground of ways to prevent the flu virus and the covid-19 too.

1. Wear surgical anti-viral disposable face masks –

This is the new normal because of coronavirus. However, it won’t be wrong to follow this safety measure even after this pandemic ends. Respiratory droplets are transmitted easily from one person to another if we don’t cover our mouths in public.

2. Don’t just rinse but wash the hands frequently –

You are advised to wash your hands for twenty seconds at least every time you touch any other person in any public space. Apply soap or any alcohol-based hand sanitizer and then after washing it off, dry your hands with the help of a towel.

3. Get a substantial amount of sleep to become a germ fighter –

If you don’t sleep well, that is, for seven hours at least, then you will be tired. If you will be tired, then you will be feeling under the weather. If you feel under the weather, then your body will not have the tenacity and power to fight against germs, bacteria.

4. Ensure intake of fruits and leafy vegetables –

This is a natural way to avoid cold symptoms. If your meal plan is healthy, then your immune system will be stronger. Consequently, you will have the stamina and strength to fight the coronavirus in case you get infected.

5. Say ‘goodbye’ to cigarettes and alcohol –

Research has shown that smoking can damage the immune system and makes the body prone to various risky infectious diseases. Consumption of alcohol does the same. It causes ARDS. It is proven that once you quit smoking and start giving up on alcohol intake, your immune system stays as strong as it was before.

How can personal hygiene act as the best way to prevent the common cold?

It is necessary to take proper care of your hygiene as it is one of the best ways to avoid the common cold. As the droplets produced during sneezing or coughing can transmit to people standing closeby, you must cover your mouth in public.

One of the natural ways to avoid cold symptoms is disinfecting any object you touch or come near at work, at home, or even while grocery shopping.

Should you invest in an antiviral flu shot?

Every year, around October, people catch the flu or common cold. So, it has been recommended by doctors and specialists that you should get a flu shot every year around this time of the year. Why? The reason is – even if you somehow catch the flu despite the shot, the shot will make sure that the illness doesn’t manifest in your body severely. This is an important step in the guideline of how to prevent common cold and cough.

How does yoga and workout help in avoiding common cold during the pandemic?

People whose immunity is very low suffer a lot from the common cold when the weather starts to change. Not everybody can adapt to it. Although it isn’t fatal, the common cold can be quite irritating as you don’t feel like talking or doing any work for that matter.

Here, yoga and 10 minutes of physical workout can help you. There are as many as ten helpful yoga asanas that will keep your mind and body healthy. One such asana is Dhanurasana.

Yoga helps in the passage of white blood cells to those portions of the chest, throat, and mind as they need the rush of blood cells to reduce the annoying congestion and even sinus. It creates a balance between fight or response and rest systems, that is, between parasympathetic and sympathetic systems.

Home remedies for preventing common cold symptoms –

• Drink chicken soup to give your sore throat a sense of warmth. Although it won’t cure a cold magically, it will surely help your body combat any kind of respiratory infection. Also, it helps in nullifying dehydration.
• Add ginger, garlic, and honey to your daily diet. The antibacterial properties of these help in minimizing the severe effect of the flu virus.
• Probiotics and Vitamin C will also act as prevention aids.
• Gargling will help you in giving your itchy and hurting throat some ease.

We hope this guide of ways to avoid a common cold in winter and otherwise has helped you in finding what will work for you. Practice these tips and stay safe.