Student or faculty members know that school can be a scary sight filled with snotty sleeves and an alarming lack of tissues in the classroom. Winter time is when colds and bad allergies are on the rise, and as that time of the year approaches, it is important to know what diseases to look out for and how to stay healthy. 

In Michigan, flu season starts in late October and ends around April. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, also known as the CDC, flu season last year was record breaking. It was the longest lasting flu season in the last decade. 

A recent article published by ktla.com mentions a study made by the CDC showing an extreme number of influenza outbreaks.

“There were nearly 42.9 million cases of flu, up to 647,000 hospilizations and up to 61,200 deaths”

The CDC cannot predict the severity of this coming season, but if it is anything like last year, teachers may begin to notice an increase in absences starting soon. 

Other illnesses that make a rise in the winter include strep throat, hand foot and mouth disease, the common cold and multiple others. Each of these are contagious and take days to often even weeks to fully heal.

There are many ways one can prevent the spreading of these unwanted germs, the best of which being hand washing. It is widely known that handling or touching possibly contaminated things such as raw meat or objects in public bathrooms, without washing your hands, can greatly increase the chance of catching and spreading harmful diseases. In order to have the best results, one should wash their hands for at least twenty seconds multiple times throughout the day. If hand washing is not ideal, carrying hand sanitizer can be useful.

Eating healthy, fitting the recommended amount of sleep and exercise into your schedule, taking vitamins and staying home if a contagious illness is caught, are other healthy practices to live by regardless of the time of year.

“Washing your hands, that’s the most important thing. Make sure to get 8-10 hours of sleep, and also make sure you’re caught up on all of you vaccines,” health teacher Amy Junga said. 

Staying as healthy as possible is crucial for a student’s success and well-being. Make sure to be knowledgeable and prepared for the fast approaching winter season, and all the illnesses that can come with it.