What to expect during winter in Australia
In Australia, winter usually marks the peak of cold and flu season. Although it's possible to catch the flu at any time of year, cases tend to rise between May and September. While the common cold and influenza share similar symptoms, they’re caused by different viruses, and the flu is generally more serious. In some instances, influenza can lead to severe illness and may even require hospitalisation.
Besides the common cold and flu, several other respiratory illnesses often do the rounds during the winter season. COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, mycoplasma pneumoniae and norovirus cases often spike during the colder months.
Check out our blog to understand the differences between colds, flus and other viruses.
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Tips to stay protected during winter
The best way to protect yourself and your family from seasonal illnesses this winter is to take a holistic approach to your health and safety. Here’s how to stay healthy this winter.
Get vaccinated
As winter approaches, one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family is to get vaccinated against common seasonal illnesses. While some illnesses, like the flu, are vaccinated against annually, other immunisations, including whooping cough and RSV, can last several years. Depending on where you live or your personal circumstances, you might even be eligible for a free vaccination.
Follow a healthy, balanced diet
Eating a nutritionally balanced diet provides your body with the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it needs to support a healthy immune system and fight off any potential viruses that come your way.
Be active
Following a healthy diet isn’t the only way to support your body’s natural defences. Staying active year-round can help boost your body’s white blood cells, improving immunity and your body’s natural defences against viruses.
Stay hydrated
When it comes to protecting against seasonal illnesses, hydration is key. Water helps circulate nutrients and immune cells around your body, supporting a healthy immune system. It also aids kidney function, helping your body flush out waste and toxins. This can be especially important if you do get sick, so you can recover quicker.
Prioritise sleep
A good night’s rest allows your body to reset and recharge. As you sleep, your body also produces immune cells that target infection and inflammation. Not to mention, sleep helps regulate stress hormones like cortisol, which can suppress immune function when elevated.
Implementing the ABC of infection control
The ABC of infection control is a simple framework that’s typically used in healthcare settings to help control infections. Here’s how you can implement the basic principles to stay protected at home.
A: Aseptic techniques
Aseptic technique is a fancy term that refers to procedures that are used to prevent the spread of viruses. It often involves practices like:
● Good hand hygiene: Seasonal illnesses are often picked up and spread by germs on our hands. It’s for this reason that practising good hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of common viruses.
● Maintaining a clean environment: Proper hygiene doesn’t stop at your hands. You and your family touch hundreds of surfaces around your home each and every day, so it’s important to disinfect high-traffic areas regularly when someone in the household falls ill.
b: Barriers
In healthcare settings, barriers often refer to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), like face masks, gowns and eye protection that act as a physical barrier against viruses and pathogens. That said, many people choose to use surgical face masks and respirators during flu season to help protect against seasonal viruses over the winter months.
Face masks protect in two key ways. First, they protect the wearer from inhaling airborne viral particles if they come into contact with an infected person. Second, they can prevent the spread of viruses by containing infectious particles when worn by an infected person.
It’s worth noting that some face masks offer better protection than others, so be sure to choose a mask that works for you. For example, respirator masks, like the N95 mask, are designed to filter out at least 95% of airborne particles. Alternatively, community face masks are designed for use in public spaces where physical distancing isn't possible.
C: Cleaning and containment
Lastly, cleaning involves regularly cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, while containment is used to isolate infectious individuals.
Besides keeping those high-traffic areas around your home extra clean during winter, if you do fall sick this winter, do your part and stay home. This can help prevent the virus from spreading further in the community. The same goes for kids. Keeping them home from school or childcare can help curb the spread of seasonal illnesses.
Ultimately, these prevention strategies work best when combined, so be sure to take a holistic approach to your health and safety this winter. If you’d like to stock up on face masks ahead of winter, Detmold Medical has you covered with a huge range of high-quality face masks and respirators.
