By Ann Payne-Johnson, M.D., M.S.
Family Medicine Center 

Keeping yourself and your co-workers healthy through cold and flu season is a key to being happy and productive. We all learned from the pandemic that illness can spread quickly and impact our daily lives.

Taking simple preventive measures can make a difference in keeping the workplace well and morale high. Here are seven suggestions to take to prevent the spread of cold and flu in your department:

• Get a flu shot. This is one of the best ways to protect everyone from the flu because it helps stop flu outbreaks and keeps your team safe, especially those who might become really sick from it. 
• Practice good office hygiene. Regular handwashing and using hand sanitizer can stop germs from spreading. Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow to keep germs to yourself. 
• Disinfect high-touch surfaces. Reduce the spread of germs by keeping things clean, especially high-touch surfaces like door handles, keyboards, and phones. 
• Encourage sick employees to stay home. If someone is sick, he or she should stay home to rest and recover. Another plus is that it helps stop the spread of illness. 
• Monitor flu symptoms. A mild case of the flu can be typically managed with over-the-counter medications, but pay attention. If symptoms get worse, see a healthcare provider to make sure it is not something more serious, such as a sinus infection, bronchitis, or pneumonia. 
• Keep your distance. During flu season, keeping a little distance can help. You can rearrange workspaces to give people more room or rely on virtual meetings to reduce proximity to others.
• Support high-risk employees. Some people are at higher risk of getting really sick, like those with chronic health conditions. Support them with extra precautions, such as offering masks or setting up their workspace in a spot farther away from other colleagues.

By following these tips, you can help create a healthier, happier workplace where everyone feels their best, even during cold and flu season.