Follow these simple steps to help protect yourself and those around you from common winter illnesses. Taking these precautions can reduce your risk of becoming unwell, help lessen the severity or duration of symptoms if you do get sick, and reduce the spread of infections to others.

By staying well, you can help keep your family, friends and colleagues healthy, minimise disruption to work and education, protect vulnerable people, and reduce pressure on NHS services during the winter months.

Vaccinations

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of serious illness and help prevent infections from spreading.

  • If you're eligible, get vaccinated against flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to help protect yourself and others.

  • Make sure your children are up to date with all recommended vaccinations, including the flu vaccine if they are eligible.

Visit the NHS website to book a vaccination

Ventilation

Fresh air is one of the simplest ways to help reduce the risk of respiratory infections spreading indoors.

  • Good ventilation helps reduce the spread of winter viruses by removing virus particles from the air indoors.

  • When it's comfortable to do so, keep windows open to improve airflow. In colder weather, opening windows for a few minutes each hour can still make a difference.

  • When travelling with others in a car, keep a window slightly open to increase ventilation.

Hand hygiene

Good hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to help prevent the spread of infections.

  • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially after using the toilet, before and after preparing or eating food, and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.

  • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, making sure all areas of your hands and wrists are covered with soap.

  • Rinse your hands thoroughly under clean running water.

  • Dry your hands completely using a paper towel or clean hand-drying facility.

  • If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. However, hand gel is less effective on visibly dirty hands and does not kill norovirus, a common cause of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Respiratory hygiene

Good respiratory hygiene helps reduce the spread of coughs, colds and other respiratory infections.

  • Cover your mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow.

  • Put used tissues straight into a bin after use.

  • Wash or sanitise your hands after coughing, sneezing, or using a tissue.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

If you have cold-like symptoms, consider wearing a face covering when meeting other people or visiting public places.

Cleaning

Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces that are touched often, including door handles, light switches, keyboards, phones, remote controls, toilet flush handles and taps.

Staying off work or school

Speak to your employer or education provider about their sickness or attendance arrangements. 

You should stay away from work, school or other activities, or work from home if possible, if you:

  • have a high temperature (fever)

  • feel too unwell to carry out your usual activities

  • have tested positive for COVID-19

  • have diarrhoea and or vomiting.

If you only have mild cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose or cough, you do not usually need to stay at home. However, if your role allows it, working from home can help reduce the spread of infection. You may also wish to wear a face covering when around other people.

Most people do not need to take a COVID-19 test unless they are eligible for COVID-19 treatments.

If you have a respiratory infection, you can return to work, school or your usual activities once you feel well enough and no longer have a high temperature.

If you test positive for COVID-19, national guidance recommends trying to stay at home and avoid contact with others for five days where possible. Once you return, take extra care around people who may be more vulnerable to infection for up to ten days after your positive test.

If you have diarrhoea and or vomiting, stay away from work, school or childcare settings until you have been free of symptoms for at least 48 hours.

Healthy habits for winter

Looking after your general health and well-being can help support your immune system and reduce your risk of illness.

Simple steps you can take include:

  • being physically active and taking regular exercise

  • eating a healthy, balanced diet

  • spending time outdoors and getting some fresh air

  • limiting your alcohol intake

  • getting enough good-quality sleep

  • managing stress and taking time to relax.

These healthy habits can help improve your overall well-being and make it easier for your body to fight off winter illnesses.

These simple steps can benefit your overall health and well-being, as well as helping to reduce the risk of winter illnesses.

We know that making lifestyle changes isn't always easy, so if you'd like support to improve your health and well-being, you can contact the Healthy Lifestyles Service.

Complete our online form to get support from the Healthy Lifestyles Service