With the holiday season, comes the flu season.
Local health officials are reminding people to spread cheer instead of germs.
Getting together with more people at Christmas, attending holiday parties and being in crowds of people mean we need to protect ourselves from illness.
Officials say the first line of defence should be a flu shot.
Amazing Race Canada contestant Dave Schram is among those who get the vaccination.
“I'm just a big believer in it and I hate people that just ignore the science of it. Like they hear rumours and, oh you get sick, and you get this or you get that, and no, that's not true. Get the flu shot.”
The Middlesex-London Health Unit’s infectious disease manager, Tristan Squire Smith, says there are other steps to take.
“Whenever people are getting together, there's an increased chance of the transmission of illness...so to avoid that…we always recommend that people are washing your hands, certainly before eating.”
Other tips include using alcohol-based sanitizer, coughing into your sleeve and making sure regularly touched surfaces are cleaned thoroughly.
And even if you’ve got big plans for the holidays, if you are feeling unwell, officials advise that you stay home and get better. It will help you and others.
“If you're under the weather, please don’t spread that at this time of the year. Stay home,” Squire Smith says.
