Dr Amir Khan revealed three key ways to avoid catching a bug this winter as cases of cold and flu surge in the UK.
While you might expect more sniffles this time of year, with many people gathering together indoors for festive celebrations, flu cases have reportedly risen 70% in the last week with more hospitalisations. There seems to be an "increased number of people getting these winter viruses", says Dr Amir Khan, who appeared on ITV's Lorraine this week to issue the important advice.
"There's flu, Covid-19, norovirus (the diarrhoea and sickness one), and RSV. But flu cases have gone up, particularly over the last week. There are almost 1900 beds taken up by patients with flu in hospital. That's a 70% increase from the week before," the doctor told host Ranvir Singh.
It's possible to get rid of a cold fast, and the doctor says many people can manage flu at home with symptoms like all-over body pain, muscle aches, high temperatures, runny nose, sore throat, and a cough. However, he warns it's important to look for signs of dehydration - one symptom that can lead to a hospital admission.
How to avoid getting ill this winter
- Wash your hands: Soap and water can help prevent the spread of norovirus, a sickness bug common at this time of year.
- Open a window: It might sound counterproductive in the cold weather but "ventilate indoor spaces for those airborne viruses," says Dr Khan.
- Stay at home: "If you are poorly, just keep yourself to yourself, don't spread it around," he advises. That means staying at home if you're feeling under the weather.
Dr Amir Khan also points out that the flu vaccine is available for those 65 and over, those who have an underlying health condition, pregnant women, and those living in care homes.
Back in October, when cases first began to rise, Dr Khan revealed why it was so important to ventilate your home if someone is unwell. "If you can open windows and ventilate indoor spaces as more recent research shows cold viruses are spread through aerosol as well as droplets so ventilation is key," he wrote in a caption under an Instagram post.
He also said: "Remember, the main way viruses are spread is through droplets that can get onto your hands, so wash them." And, for the same reason, avoid putting your hands near your face and disinfect areas (like door handles) that people often touch.
