Avoid getting sick with our help.
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| | | | | It's that time of year again, friends. Yep, you guessed it — cold and flu season. | | You may not be able to avoid getting sick 100% of the time. Some risk factors are inevitable. However, there are many steps you can take to lower your chance of catching a cold or the flu and avoid passing it on to others. | | Keep reading to learn what you can do to help protect your health. | | | | | | | Be well,
Morgan Mandriota
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |  | | Written by Morgan Mandriota
October 20, 2025 • 2 min read | | | | | | | |
| |  | | | | What you can do to help avoid a cold or the flu | | Getting a flu shot every September or October (before flu activity picks up) is one of the best ways to protect yourself from the flu, especially as the strains change each year. The vaccine is recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, including pregnant people. There's currently no vaccine to prevent infection from viruses that cause common colds. | | Also consider taking these preventive measures to help protect others and yourself from disease year-round (and not just during cold and flu season!): | - Wash your hands with soap and water to reduce the spread of germs.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
- Cough into your elbow (not your hands).
- Support your gut health by taking probiotics.
- Limit how often you touch your face, especially your mouth and nose.
- Try to stay home if you're not feeling well or you have a fever.
- Disinfect your home, including high touch surfaces like doorknobs and appliances.
| | Certain diet and lifestyle changes, like managing stress, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and addressing any nutritional deficiencies, may also support your overall well-being this time of year. Learn more ways to protect yourself by reading our article below. | | | | | | | | | | | More health advice | | | | | | |  | | Sign Up for Our Cold and Flu Prevention Guide | | "Preventing and Treating Cold and Flu Symptoms" is a 2-day email series that explains the symptoms, risk factors, prevention strategies, and treatment options for both conditions. Join now with one click, and look out for Day 1 in your inbox soon! | | | Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline's or Optum Now's vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Now are owned by RVO Health. | | | | | | | | | | | |   | | | | | | | | Until next time, |  | Take care of yourself, and we'll see
you again soon! | | |  | | |  | | This edition was powered by | | herbal tea. | | | | | | | | View in browser
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Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline's or Optum Now's vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Now are owned by RVO Health.
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