How to reduce the spread of infection during cold and flu season

We're paging Dr. Paul this morning to get his advice on preventing the spread of infection.

If you’ve noticed a swell of coughs and sneezes echoing throughout the city of late, you’re not alone.

While viruses may seem particularly prevalent this year, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit CEO and medical officer of health says it’s nothing out of the ordinary, but people should still take precautions.

“It’s just the common cold, enterovirus and rhinoviruses,” Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, A.K.A. Dr. Paul, told CTV News Your Morning Ottawa on Wednesday.

“Good news is that that is going down, bad news is that flu and RSV season are on its way.”

So, while cold season may be on its way out, Dr. Paul says it’s important to think about reducing the spread of infections.

“These are all respiratory germs, and they spread really from someone coughing or sneezing,” Dr. Paul said.

The best way to stop the spread of illness is to stay home if you’re sick, Dr. Paul says.

He also says seasonal vaccines for the flu, COVID-19 and, depending on your age, RSV, can help to reduce your chance of infection and therefore your chance of spreading a virus.

Beyond that, the medical officer of health says it’s crucial to block sneezes and coughs with either your arm or a tissue. According to Dr. Paul, germs can travel seven or eight feet from a sneeze or cough and can stay on the surface for over 24 hours.

“Let’s say somebody were to sneeze on this table, and they leave, that germ will last maybe a day or two,” he said. “So, you come along, you touch the table, you touch the face, and there you go, you indirectly infect yourself.”

Next, Dr. Paul suggests frequent handwashing, particularly before and after meals, so that you can remove any germs.

“It’s important to wash your hands, particularly when you’re going to be touching your face,” he said. “So, when is that? Before and after meals. Washing your hands is probably going to get rid of a lot of the risk involved.”

To reduce your risk of coming into contact with unseen germs, Dr. Paul also suggests disinfecting surfaces at home, particularly before and after hosting guests.

“Disinfect commonly used surfaces, tabletops, doorknobs, shared desks, keyboards, remote controls, all these things, even the light switches,” he said. “Because, again, anything can harbour these germs, which are invisible. So, why take that chance?”

If you’re going out in public, Dr. Paul recommends bringing your own hand sanitizer.

“The more you do that, practice that etiquette, the less chance that you will get it and the less chances that you will transmit it,” he said.

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