Now that classes are back in full swing, so are coughs and sniffles. And the viruses that cause the common cold and influenza are everywhere – on keyboards, on doorknobs, on elevator buttons, and especially on your classmates and co-workers.
“Respiratory illnesses are more common in the winter months and in close populations so universities are a common setting,” said David Parenti, M.D., professor of Medicine in the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences' Division of Infectious Diseases and director of the Traveler’s Clinic at the GW Medical Faculty Associates. “Viruses can stay viable on a surface for up to 24 hours.”
Parenti said the best method of prevention is to wash your hands for 30 seconds in warm water or use hand sanitizer. Most viruses are transmitted by contact, whether that’s person to person or person to an intermediate surface and then to another person.
“Somebody wipes their nose and picks up a phone and then you use it and then touch your face,” he said. “The less you touch your face, the better. But it’s such a reflex. It’s hard for people to control.”
While a cold and influenza are caused by different viruses, and influenza involves a more severe fever, both are contagious. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults come down with two to four colds a year while five to 20 percent of Americans get the flu. Colds tend to involve the upper respiratory track including the nose and sinuses, whereas influenza affects more of the lower respiratory track, Parenti said.
In addition to hand washing, getting adequate sleep helps protect yourself from coming down with a cold.
“If you’re up all night, it’s going to increase the likelihood that you’ll get sick,” Parenti said.
Parenti urges members of the GW community who have not gotten a flu shot to get one by February when vaccine availability becomes more limited.
And while there are aisles at pharmacies dedicated to vitamins and supplements, Parenti does not believe they can prevent someone from getting a cold or influenza.
“There’s very little data that Vitamin C or zinc make a difference,” he said.
If you do become ill, Isabel Goldenberg, director of GW’s Student Health Service, urges members of the GW community to cover their mouths and noses with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth, and stay home from school or work.
“Students can seek medical attention and get a flu shot at the GW Student Health Service,” said Goldenberg.
This story was originally published by GW Today.
