{"id":529126,"date":"2025-12-03T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northernvirginiamag.com\/?p=529126"},"modified":"2025-12-01T12:06:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T17:06:42","slug":"welcome-to-flu-season-heres-how-to-protect-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northernvirginiamag.com\/wellness\/2025\/12\/03\/welcome-to-flu-season-heres-how-to-protect-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to Flu Season. Here\u2019s How to Protect Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The holiday season is upon us. And like it or not, the flu is looming in the background. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Amar Athwal, a family physician at the Ashburn office of Kaiser Permanente,<\/a> says it\u2019s too early to tell whether this season\u2019s strain of flu will be particularly fierce. But he warns that Thanksgiving is the unofficial start of the high point of flu season. The indoor get-togethers and crowded travel conditions are \u201cusually what kicks off flu season,\u201d he says. And the numbers continue to rise until about February or March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flu Vaccine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a few things you can do to give yourself better odds during flu season. First and foremost, Athwal says, is a flu vaccine.<\/a> \u201cYou introduce the body to an inactive virus and it produces antibodies to it, so that when you are exposed to the flu virus, you may be able to fight it off completely and avoid getting sick. Or if you do get it, you’ll already have defense against it and hopefully have a milder case,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic,<\/a> there has been a reported increase in refusal to take vaccines. Athwal says he understands people’s skepticism. But encourages talking directly to a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"person
Courtesy stock.adobe.com<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s better for them to talk to an expert and then they can make their own mind up about vaccines. You know, vaccines have been around in several different forms for decades, and the flu vaccine has been around for decades. It is safe. It doesn’t cause any long-term side effects in over 99 percent of people. And it works like any other vaccine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just for yourself. Some people \u2014 such as those who are immunocompromised, cancer patients, and infants \u2014 may not be able to take the vaccine. So every person who does reduces the chances of passing a virus on to the unprotected. Every case that we don’t get as a society weakens the virus and helps slow transmission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While the vaccine is critical, it\u2019s not the only way you can increase your odds of getting through the next few months healthy. Most practices should be familiar advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWash your hands frequently,\u201d Athwal says. Use hand sanitizer whenever you can. And try not to touch your face. \u201cI don’t want to blame the kids, but we do see them as the source of a lot of our illnesses. Because kids are kids \u2014 they’re running around, sniffling, rubbing their face, touching tables, touching toys, and then spreading it to other kids who spread it to their parents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe biggest way we do get sick is by touching something and then touching our face and bringing a virus or bacteria that we touched into contact with our nose and mouth.\u201d That\u2019s why handwashing and hand sanitizer are so important, as people travel and touch things that unfamiliar people have been in contact with. Even after you\u2019ve touched something with the virus, washing your hands soon after is \u201calmost 100 percent effective\u201d at protecting you, Athwal says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd in some cases,\u201d he says, \u201cif you are sick and traveling, as a courtesy to everyone else, wear a mask, so you don’t get other people on the plane, train, or car ride sick.\u201d Athwal says that if you do in fact catch the flu, consult with your doctor quickly. You may be able to get prescription antivirals for the flu, such as Tamiflu, in moderate to severe cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feature image, Prostock-studio\/stock.adobe.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A Northern Virginia physician offers expert advice for staying healthy.","protected":false},"author":1002096,"featured_media":529174,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54660],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-529126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWelcome to Flu Season. Here\u2019s How to Protect Yourself<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The flu will likely start spreading in the area. 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