It’s the CFC time of year-cold, flu and Covid. A good friend of mine recently came down with Covid and promptly had an allergic reaction to the meds they gave him. Made me realize I wasn’t as prepared as I’d like to be, as something like that would be the last thing I need.
What works and what doesn’t to prevent and treat CFC?
Vaccines: There are vaccines for flu and Covid and this year, for the first time there is a vaccine for RSV, which is a type of cold. Vaccination against these infectious diseases will help considerably in keeping you healthy. In the event you do get one of the CFCs, having been vaccinated will reduce its impact.
Prevention basics for all three
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home if you are sick
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue if you cough or cough into your elbow and not your hand.
• Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
• Wear a mask. If you haven’t noticed, more and more public places, as well as hospitals, are encouraging people to wear masks. Wear the most protective mask that you'll wear regularly, fits well and is comfortable. Respirators such as nonsurgical N95s give the most protection. KN95s and medical masks provide the next highest level of protection. Cloth masks provide the least.
• Test: There are now home tests for flu, Covid and RSV. There is a test that covers both flu and Covid that’s available over the counter and provides results in 30 minutes. There is another test that covers all three but it’s a mail in, with results available in 1-2 days. Free Covid tests are available from covid.gov/tests For more information:
- At-Home Flu Test: What’s Most Accurate and Where to Buy One
- At-Home RSV, COVID, and Flu Combination Test: Everything You Need to Know
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill.
• Stick to the basics: Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
What about Vitamins?
Vitamin C: Researchers found that a vitamin C supplement may reduce the duration of a cold by about 8% in adults and 18% in children. Basically you cut the cold by about 13 hours or half a day. The authors conclusion from the 2022 study was as follows, The failure of vitamin C supplementation to reduce the incidence of colds in the general population indicates that routine vitamin C supplementation is not justified, yet vitamin C may be useful for people exposed to brief periods of severe physical exercise. Regular supplementation trials have shown that vitamin C reduces the duration of colds, but this was not replicated in the few therapeutic trials that have been carried out. Nevertheless, given the consistent effect of vitamin C on the duration and severity of colds in the regular supplementation studies, and the low cost and safety, it may be worthwhile for common cold patients to test on an individual basis whether therapeutic vitamin C is beneficial for them.
Zinc: While it may help to shorten the duration of cold symptoms if taken within the first 24 hours, it comes with some nasty side effects-bad taste and nausea. Feeling queasy versus sneezy. It’s a tossup but generally not really recommended.
What to do if you get a CFC
• Cold remedies: What works, what doesn’t, what can’t hurt
• COVID
• RSV
Other resources
• Fight off the flu with immune-boosting nutrients from the Mayo Clinic
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