It’s flu season, in case you had your head in the sand, and Australia’s early flu season predicted that the US was going to take a sucker punch. Then the weather got a bit excitable, waffling between -7 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit.

This one-two punch has old people trapped in their homes, too scared to go out despite having been vaccinated early and often. We could all take a page out of the book of the old when it comes to avoiding contagions, some of our elders been around longer than germ theory itself.

Keep a tissue in your sleeve

If you have a runny nose, the sneezes, watery eyes, issues with spittle at the corner of your mouth, or bleed a little sometimes you should keep something handy to sop up all your personal goop. That pretty much goes without saying, but tissues don’t grow on trees and a hanky is unhygienic. Use your tissue, then tuck up your shirt sleeve so it’s always within reach. After a few days dispose of it and get a new one.

You could even save an unprepared friend from tragedy with your tissue!

Bathe less

Your skin is the largest part of your immune system, a literal barrier between your inner workings and the rest of the world. It coats itself in natural oils to help keep the germs out, why wash that layer of protection away.

I like to think of bathing as something you leave up to the professionals, when you get your hair styled, you get your hair washed. When you get your nails painted you get your hands washed.

If you feel the itch to do anything between appointments, try slathering with coconut oil on anything you feel needs touching up. The solid oil will act as both a moisturizer and a natural antibacterial.

Cough more

Don’t keep it in. Anything you can release from the confines of your sick body will help you in the long run. Don’t stifle it. Don’t be embarrassed but whatever noises and particles escape your mouth.

This is why you carry a sleeve tissue, right?

Get your jabs

If you feel something coming on, you know that nagging tickle, or pressure behind your eyes, go get your vaccinations**. It may be a good time to get caught up on all the ones you’ve missed, you don’t want shingles or the flu or them both at the same time.

Be well friends.

*I gagged a lot while writing this, so you should have gagged reading it. Gagging is something that should rarely be powered through.

**Please consult a medical professional about getting vaccinated while sick…