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Here's How To Prevent Cold And Flu From Spreading Throughout Your Household

When seasonal sickness hits your home, how do you stop the cold and flu from spreading among family members?

Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, reiterated the basics of preventing virus spread in comments to Fox News Digital.

Among his top tips: Wash your hands often and disinfect household surfaces.

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Those who are sick should remain separated from others or wear a high-grade face mask if they must be in proximity to housemates, Siegel advised.

Experts offer advice on how to keep the cold and flu from spreading throughout your home this fall and winter. (iStock)

"Flu has a 25% attack rate, meaning that for everyone who gets it, a quarter of people who are in close contact will get it," he said.

Cedars-Sinai pediatrician Santhosh Nadipuram, M.D., who is based in California, said in a separate conversation with Fox News Digital that sick people should especially keep their distance from high-risk individuals in the household.

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This includes children under 6 months old and adults over 65 years old, as well as anyone with severe obesity, poorly controlled diabetes, lung disease or heart disease.

"Flu has a 25% attack rate, meaning that for everyone who gets it, a quarter of people who are in close contact will get it."

Pregnant women and immune-suppressed people also fall into this category.

Nadipuram shared some other best practices to prevent spread, including covering coughs and sneezes, even though this may be challenging with small children.

Doctors recommend covering coughs and sneezes to prevent virus spread. (iStock)

He also advised families to keep their homes well-ventilated and avoid sharing food or drinks with infected people.

Frequent handwashing is key, the doctor added. He recommends washing for at least 20 seconds, especially before and after eating, before contact with vulnerable people and after touching your face while experiencing active symptoms.

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In the case of the flu, Nadipuram encouraged annual vaccinations to help reduce the risk of severe disease.

Flu vaccines are recommended for all individuals over 6 months old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC recommends that all individuals over 6 months old receive a flu vaccine. (iStock)

"If you have someone in the home at high risk for severe infection, the ill person can isolate in a well-ventilated room with minimal contact until their cough and sneezing are very diminished, and they can wear a mask if they need to interact with other family members in a closed room," Nadipuram said.

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"For little kids, they should be able to 'control' their secretions, meaning any runny noses should be minimal, so the child or parent/caregiver can easily clean them, throw away the paper napkin and clean their hands," the doctor added.

Siegel advised that in the case of sudden fatigue, muscle aches, headache, sore throat or upper respiratory congestion, individuals should consult a medical professional.

In the case of sudden fatigue, muscle aches, headache, sore throat or upper respiratory congestion, individuals should consult a medical professional. (iStock)

"Differentiation between flu, RSV and COVID may help in terms of potential treatment if you are at risk of severe disease," he also said.

With several respiratory illnesses floating around this time of year, Nadipuram agreed that knowing when to seek medical attention is crucial.

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He added, "Speak with your doctor if you have any worries and ask for guidance, especially if you feel your symptoms are concerning or severe."

For more Health articles, visit www.Foxnews.Com/health.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital.

I Tested 9 Well-known Cold And Flu Remedies – The Winner Left Me Feeling 'healthy' Again In 20 Minutes And Only Cost £3

LURGY season is upon us - and I appear to be one of its early victims.

Long gone are the sniffle-free days of summer (ignoring the occasional bout of hayfever).

Sun writer Isabel Shaw tested the medicines and remedies which promise to make your cold better - do any actually work?

Instead, say hello to the next six months of coughs, stuffy ears and bunged-up noses galore - what joy.

As we all know, getting a cold is incredibly common - in fact, adults can expect to have two to three colds each year, while kids can have up to 10 or more.

My throat is itchy, ears are blocked, nose is running and head is pounding, just to name a few of my symptoms.

While there's no proven way to get rid of a cold, there are a number of medicines and home remedies which promise to help manage the symptoms and make you feel better.

But do any actually work?

I put several products to the test over the course of a week - taking into account pain reduction, and how quickly and for how long they worked.

Many of the products targeted all symptoms associated with cold and flu, but I also tested treatments that only aimed to get rid of specific issues.

I also spoke to TV Pharmacist Thorrun Govind to find out a little more about the science behind these methods and which ones she recommends to her own patients.

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She tells me: "It's important to remember with all of these remedies that none are going to fix your cough or cold, our immune systems will do that.

"But taking some of these products can make you feel better while you wait!"

1. Hot honey & lemon

Drinking something warm will likely soothe your throat, whatever it isCredit: Getty

Best for: Cough and sore throat

Pain reduction: 6/10

Efficiency: 6/10

Longevity: 4/10

An oldie but a goodie: hot honey and lemon water has been used for generations to ease the symptoms of a cold or flu.

After just a few sips, I noticed my persistent coughing had died down, much to my boyfriend's relief.

And this is hardly surprising, considering one Canadian study found honey to be as effective as common cough suppressant ingredient dextromethorphan, found in many over-the-counter drugs.

There was also something very comforting about holding something warm when you feel under the weather - like a hug, just in a mug.

Agreeing, pharmacist Thorrun says: "Drinking something warm will likely sooth your throat, whatever it is.

"But the greatest benefit you're likely to get from this drink is hydration.

"Keeping yourself well-hydrated can help with symptom and help your immune system fight."

It's important to remember that honey shouldn't be given to children younger than 12 months old.

That's because it contains bacteria that can produce toxins in a baby's tummy, leading to infant botulism, which can prove serious.

Where to buy: find a bag of four lemons and jar of honey at Aldi for 79p and 75p, respectively.

2. Steam inhalation/Vicks VapoRub

The salve promises to solve nasal congestion and ease a sore throat and cough due to cold.Credit: Boots

Best for: Congestion

Pain reduction: 7/10

Efficiency: 8/10

Longevity: 4/10

As the name suggests, this simple (but very effective) trick involves breathing in some steam.

You do this by filling a bowl with hot water and throwing a towel over your head, or jumping in a hot shower.

Studies on steam inhalation as a way to ease cold symptoms are somewhat mixed.

Many, including one 2016 review, found breathing in hot air did nothing at all to help clear the sinuses.

Contrary to the scientific evidence, breathing in hot air provided me with instant relief, albeit not for long.

Within seconds, I could feel the hot steam loosen the mucus build up in my nose (apologises for the graphic detail).

I was very excited to breathe from my nostrils again - a small, but simple pleasure you only realise when it's gone.

It's worth noting that steaming didn't make my ears feel any less blocked, which annoyingly was making me feel like I was constantly underwater.

However, the biggest downside was the positive decongestant effects lasted little more than minute, which wasn't entirely satisfying.

"This is a cheap way to unblock your nostrils," Thorrun explains.

"It does this by making the mucus thinner.

"But like you noticed, it won't last very long."

This is because without the steam, the mucus thickens up.

In an attempt to keep my nose clearer for longer, I took my steam bowl up a notch and stirred in some Vicks VapoRub.

I also added some of the minty wax-like substance to my chest and neck (as advised) for good measure.

On the Vicks website, the product promises to solve nasal congestion, and ease a sore throat and cough due to cold.

After a few inhales, my nose, ears and chest felt clearer, more so than the clean steam ever managed to.

However, my cough persisted and throat continued to feel a tad tickly.

I proceeded to carry the little blue pot around with me all day after deciding rubbing a layer into my chest every so often was slightly more office appropriate than an hourly steam bowl.

Thorrun points out that people using this technique should be careful of burns.

She says: "Make sure the bowl of hot water is on a level, sturdy surface and can't be knocked over.

"And don't let the hot water anywhere near children."

Where to buy: find a 100g jar of Vicks at Boots for £5.25.

3. Echinacea

Many people now suggest the supplement can treat a cold, but the evidence is mixedCredit: Superdrug

Best for: nothing

Pain reduction: 0/10

Efficiency: 0/10

Longevity: 0/10

I've never been a believer of herbal remedies, but seeing as echinacea has a bit of a reputation of being a "cold fighter", I thought I'd give it a shot.

Echinacea is part of the daisy family, and has been used by Native Americans for hundreds of years to treat various infections and toothache.

Many people now suggest the supplement can treat a cold, but the evidence is mixed - with most studies suggesting it doesn't really work.

I took it in pill form for three days and didn't see any significant changes.

In fact, I felt just as unwell and miserable as I did before I started the pills.

A 2014 review credited echinacea with "small preventative effects" when it came to shielding people from cold - so perhaps I was taking it wrong.

A 2015 study gave echinacea a more full-throated endorsement, suggesting it can reduce a person's risk for colds by 35 per cent.

So maybe I should be taking echinacea as a daily supplement ahead of prospective illness, instead of something to take while I'm already sick.

Thorrun said echinacea isn't something she recommends to her own patients.

"The science around it's effectiveness just isn't there like it is for some other cold and flu products," she said.

Where to buy: find a box of 42 Echinaforce echinacea tablets at Superdrug for £5.24.

4. Chicken soup

Chicken is full of a substance called carnosine which studies suggest reduces that stuffy, congested feeling in your nose and throatCredit: Tesco

Best for: Headache and sore throat

Pain reduction: 5/10

Efficiency: 7/10

Longevity: 5/10

Food always makes me feel better when I'm ill - ideally carbs and more carbs.

So it was little wonder when a bowl of warm chicken soup paired with some thick slices of white bread slathered with salted butter brought me back to life.

It briefly reduced my headache and my sore throat, and all the swallowing slightly eased my stuffiness.

Research suggests it's not just any old food that will make you feel better though; chicken is especially good when you're feeling run down.

The white meat is full of a substance called carnosine, which studies suggest reduces that stuffy, congested feeling in your nose and throat.

It's thought that carnosine works by minimising inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, which includes the nose, mouth and throat.

Thorrun touted the benefits of eating well when you're unwell.

"It's important to nourish your body is fighting a virus by giving it lots of food full of vitamins and minerals," she says.

"A nice cup of and bread is likely going to give you a bit more energy which can make you feel better."

Where to buy: find one tub of Cully and Sully's chicken and vegetable soup at Tesco for £2.

5. A spicy curry

A herb found in many currys may stave off viruses that cause sniffles and sore throatsCredit: Co-op

Best for: Congestion

Pain reduction: 5/10

Efficiency: 6/10

Longevity: 3/10

A curry might more commonly be associated with curing a hangover, rather than a bug.

But there's another reason to eat your vindaloo, as one (rather small) study found a vital ingredient can help treat colds.

The 2011 study found fenugreek (found in most UK supermarket curries) may stave off viruses that cause sniffles and sore throats and even help to relieve some of the symptoms.

After a few bites of my Co-op Tikka Masala (to which I added some extra chilli flakes for effect), I noticed my nose began to run - bingo, I thought, this must be clearing my blocked nose.

However, within moments of finishing my microwaved medley, the stuffiness was back and my throat was still sore.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Thorrun says a curry is not something she would ever recommend to her own patients.

"When you're feeling unwell, the last thing you're going to crave is a heavy curry," she says.

"I can see how the spice might briefly clear your sinuses, but beyond that I don't see, medically, how it's going to help you feel better."

Where to buy: find a Tikka Masala at Co-op for £3.75.

6. Beechams All in One Oral Solution

The painkiller can reduce high temperatures and ease aches and painsCredit: Boots

Best for: Headache and sore throat

Pain reduction: 7/10

Efficiency: 7/10

Longevity: 7/10

Trying to swallow tablets when you've got a sore throat can be really unpleasant; they just never seem to go down smoothly - which is why taking a liquid medicine went down a treat.

Beechams is one-shot medicine which is easy to take and works very quickly.

Within just 10 minutes, I was free from that pesky itch lurking in my throat and my cough had gone with it.

Thorrun says this is because it contains paracetamol, which works by "making pain more manageable".

According to the NHS, the painkiller can also reduce high temperature and ease aches and pains - which I also noticed.

"Just make sure you don't exceed the recommended dose by taking it more than once every four hours," she said.

Beechams also contains a decongestant known as phenylephrine hydrochloride, but this did nothing to unblock my nose or ears.

In fact, health experts in the US recently claimed when the decongestant is used in oral medicines (rather than nasal sprays), it doesn't work - which in my case makes sense.

Where to buy: find 160ml of Beechams at Boots for £5.50.

7. Strepsils

These lozenges also contain an antiseptic which can help kill the bugsCredit: Superdrug

Best for: Sore throat and cough

Pain reduction: 7/10

Efficiency: 9/10

Longevity: 7/10

A hard-boiled sweet to numb my itchy throat? Yes please.

Within seconds of sucking a lozenge (that contains no real sugar) I felt the anaesthetic effects working.

My throat was less sore and not at all scratchy, while my cough appeared to have disappeared.

The numbing effects lingered for 20 or so minutes after the lozenge had dissolved.

The lemon and honey flavour (as classic so it seems) wasn't half bad either.

According to Thorrun, these lozenges also contain an antiseptic which can help kill the bugs.

"This could, in theory, mean they help your body fight off an infection by cleaning the back of the infected throat," she explained.

Where to buy: find a box of 36 honey and lemon Strepsil Lozenges for £5.69 at Superdrug.

8. Lemsip Max

Lemsip contains a chemical called guaifenesin, which helps to thin the mucus in the throatCredit: Chemist 4 U

Best for: Cough, congestion, sore throat, headache

Pain reduction: 9/10

Efficiency: 8/10

Longevity: 8/10

What could be better than painkillers? Painkillers submerged a hot drink.

Much like the honey and lemon concoction, this drink (suitably lemon-flavoured) felt like a hug in a mug - with the added benefit of numbing the incessant itch in my throat.

After 20 minutes of sipping, many of my symptoms began to lift, including my blocked ears, nose, sore throat and cough.

Even the more subdued symptoms, like the dull ache in my legs and stuffy head disappeared.

All things considered, I felt relatively normal. Might I go as far to say I convinced myself I was healthy again?

I asked Thorrun why exactly this product worked so well.

"Lemsip contains a chemical called guaifenesin, which helps to thin the mucus in the throat so its easy to cough up," she explains.

"This is why it's very good for those with wet coughs, as opposed to dry, or chesty coughs."

It also contains paracetamol, which, as Thorrun said previously, can help ease pain when you're ill.

You can also take Lemsip in tablet form, but the fact the powered version requires water is an added bonus for your health.

"Drinking more liquids is going to help with a sore throat or cough," she explained.

Four hours later, as if right on schedule, my symptoms came flooding back.

I continued to carry some hand sachets in my purse for the rest of my cold, and if that's not a testament to the medicine, I don't know what is.

Where to buy: find a box of 10 Lemsip Max Lemon sachets for £3.29 from Amazon.Co.Uk.

9. Sudafed Blocked Nose Spray

Nasal sprays work much quicker than tablets because the decongestant reaches your blocked quickerCredit: Weldricks

Best for: Congestion

Pain reduction: 9/10

Efficiency: 8/10

Longevity: 8/10

The worst part of any cold (in my humble opinion) is the congestion.

Living in a scentless, muffled world isn't fun for anyone.

So when I came across a de-blocking spray, I was thrilled.

The initial hit of menthol up each nostril is far from pleasant, but the three-or-so hours after were pure, clear, bliss.

Not only could I breathe through my nose again, but my ears felt substantially less congested, as did my head.

"Nasal sprays work much quicker than tablets because the decongestant reaches your blocked nose almost instantly," Thorrun explains.

Voluntary Removal Of Popular Cold-and-cough Medications From Store Shelves Fuels Conspiracy Theories

By KARENA PHAN

Published [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year]

CLAIM: Over-the-counter cold and cough medications are being pulled from drugstore shelves in an effort to start the "next plandemic" or force people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

AP'S ASSESSMENT: False. Not all cold medications are being removed from all store shelves. Some over-the-counter cold and cough medicines that contain phenylephrine as a single ingredient are being voluntarily removed at CVS stores after an FDA advisory committee found the ingredient to be ineffective. Medical experts tell The Associated Press that brands still provide other cold medications with ingredients to relieve symptoms like congestion, but they do not prevent illness like a flu vaccine would.

THE FACTS: With the flu season off to an early start, posts on social media are raising suspicions around the removal of some common types of cough and cold medications from store shelves.

"Dayquil, Mucinex, Sudafed, Theraflu, and many others are being pulled off the shelves," reads one post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Just in time for the next plandemic. Just in time for the next election. But no....Nothing to see here."

The post references "Plandemic," which is a documentary-style video that promoted baseless allegations around COVID-19 vaccinations and government stay at home orders at the time.

But this latest move is grounded in recent findings by experts assembled by the FDA that found phenylephrine taken orally was no more effective than taking a dummy pill.

In 2007, the FDA asked outside advisers to take another look at phenylephrine after it became the main drug used in over-the-counter decongestants when pseudoephedrine was moved behind pharmacy counters. A 2006 law forced the move because pseudoephedrine was being illegally used to produce methamphetamine.

CVS Health announced in October it would remove a small number of oral decongestants that contain phenylephrine as the only active ingredient. Phenylephrine is found in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other medications. Other national chain drug stores have not pulled any products. The FDA told the AP in a statement it has not asked manufacturers or retail pharmacies to remove products containing the drug.

In a statement to the AP, Walgreens said the company is monitoring the situation and partnering with its clinical integrity office and suppliers "on appropriate next steps." Rite Aid told the AP in a statement that it follows guidance from FDA and are "committed to providing convenient access to approved products to address our customers' healthcare needs."

"While some may find the timing of this FDA advisory committee conclusion being released during the cold and flu season to be less than ideal, hopefully it prompts patients to speak with their healthcare providers about other options that may actually be more effective for them," Michael Hegener, an associate professor of pharmacy at the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, wrote to the AP.

While medical experts tell the AP that the FDA's ruling on the drug's efficacy was not surprising, there have been no safety concerns around its use at prescribed levels, said Dr. Lauren Eggert, a clinical assistant professor at the division of pulmonary, allergy, and critical care medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

"I just want to reiterate that it's completely safe," Eggert said regarding the usage of phenylephrine. "It really is just the question of efficacy." Eggert also noted this advisory only helps push patients toward using medications that are more effective.

Experts told the AP that other versions of Sudafed and cold medications that do not use phenylephrine are still available. Sudafed with pseudoephedrine, for example, relieves cold symptoms but it is stocked behind the pharmacy counter.

"My recommendation for the common cold is supportive care," said Eggert, who recommends staying rested and hydrated if a person is ill, and notes that getting the necessary vaccines such as the flu vaccine is key to prevention.

This is part of AP's effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Learn more about fact-checking at AP.

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