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Flu Season Is Here: 5 Proven Ways to Protect Your Family This School Year
Summer is winding down, and your family is preparing for a new school year. You’re buying school supplies and planning schedules, but there's another seasonal change you need to prepare for, too. That is flu season.
Influenza typically peaks between December and February, but cases begin appearing as early as October. That makes now the best time to start preparing. Back-to-school season increases your family's germ exposure, but getting sick isn't inevitable.
Our team at AssociatesMD specializes in primary care and vaccines. Here are five proven ways to protect your family this school year.
1. Get your flu shots
The flu vaccine is your family’s first and most important defense against the flu. The vaccine reduces your risk of getting the flu by up to 56%. Even when the vaccine doesn't prevent infection entirely, it significantly reduces severity, duration, and complications.
Everyone in your family aged six months and older should get an annual flu vaccine. The best time to get your flu shot is before October, when flu season typically begins.
Getting vaccinated early means you’re protected from the start of flu season, and timing your vaccination before school starts protects your children as they head into high-exposure environments.
2. Practice good hand washing habits
Hands are the main transmission route for influenza viruses, so establishing consistent handwashing habits in your household can help your family avoid the flu.
Teach your children to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly:
- After using the bathroom
- Before eating
- After playing outside
- When arriving home from school
Hand sanitizer works when handwashing isn't available, although soap and water is more effective. Keep hand sanitizer in backpacks and cars for times when proper handwashing facilities aren't accessible.
3. Cover coughs and disinfect surfaces
Proper respiratory habits help prevent flu transmission. That means covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow when you cough and sneeze and teaching your children to do the same. Dispose of tissues immediately and wash hands afterward.
Flu viruses survive on surfaces for hours, so regular disinfection is essential.
Clean frequently touched items at home, including doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, and phones, weekly. At school, encourage your children to wipe down desks and shared equipment when possible.
4. Stay home when you’re sick
This is critical but often overlooked. When you or your children develop flu symptoms like fever, cough, body aches, or fatigue, stay home and avoid exposing others. Keep sick family members home for at least 24 hours after their fever resolves without fever-reducing medication.
While it requires some flexibility with school and work schedules, it's essential for preventing community spread and protecting vulnerable people who can't be vaccinated or who might develop serious complications.
5. Minimize exposure to sick people
Beyond your household, limiting exposure to people who have the flu or other respiratory conditions helps reduce your risk.
During flu season, avoid crowded places when possible. If someone around you is sick, maintain distance and practice good hygiene. Ask friends and family to postpone visits if they're experiencing symptoms.
Don't wait until November when flu cases spike to protect your family. Schedule flu shots now before school starts, and establish healthy hygiene routines to help reduce your family's flu risk and create a healthier school year for everyone.
Contact us to schedule flu vaccines at one of our clinics in Plantation, Pembroke Pines, Davie, Weston, Margate, Dania Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.