The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the following steps to avoid getting the flu:
- Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose.
- Clean your hands.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Practice other good health habits.
But what do you do when you live in the city, and staying home from work is not an option?
As beautiful as NYC is, unfortunately it is also a cesspool of germs and bacteria. Thousands, if not millions, of people everyday touch the poles and the seats, and you are in the direct line of fire to contract some kind of virus by simplying breathing in the air inside of a city train or bus.
Practicing the above six steps is a good start to avoiding the flu, but I would like to suggest a step number 7.
7. Wash your coats, jackets, scarves, and gloves.
Living in the city, it's nearly impossible to avoid close contact. I am often times part of a stampede of commuters who simply want to get to work, and we are all pushing and squeezing into and rubbing up against other people just so we can fit into the train or bus. There are few things worse than being rubbed up against another commuter who clearly has not washed their coat in God only knows how long. I regularly hold my breath during my commute just so I do not have to inhale the pungent stench of someone's coat. But I digress.
Wash your outerwear regularly. It is routinely exposed to germs and bacteria. Think about the last time you washed your coat or even your gloves. It's probably been a while, right?
Don't be a hoarder. If you don't wash your outerwear, essentially you are hoarding germs and bacteria. Make it your goal to wash everything tonight. You'll thank me in the morning.