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'Tis the season when work and school are in full swing, the holidays are fast approaching - and all kinds of germs are invading your indoor get-togethers.¹ It's easy to put your health on the back burner, but nobody wants to have their busy schedules - or the holiday cheer! - disrupted by illness this time of year.

Keeping a checklist of handy to-dos can help prevent your health from slipping to the bottom of your priorities and allow you to create a "no-brainer" family wellness routine.

Make healthy habits routine

Establishing regular sleeping and waking times, starting the day with a balanced, protein-rich breakfast, ensuring everyone has a water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day - these are all habits you can easily incorporate into your family's daily schedule.^2-4

Make your own list based on these ideas, tailoring it to your family's health needs and priorities. Keep it short and easy to understand, then post in a prominent place like your family digital calendar or fridge door as a helpful reminder.

Find ways to stay active

Get creative when it's cold outside. You could hold family move-and-groove dance parties or explore indoor activity centers or community gyms nearby to keep your family moving. Consider turning an area of your home into a fitness station or active game zone.

When it's not too frigid outside, bundle up and enjoy a nature walk together, or rediscover fall and winter sports - like snow tubing, skiing, skating, and more.

Take simple steps to help prevent illness

While you can't avoid every respiratory virus that might be making its way around school or work, you can take steps to help keep them at bay. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regular handwashing is one easy way to help cut down on the spread of viruses.⁵ The CDC also recommends staying home when you're not feeling well or until your symptoms have improved and you no longer have a fever.⁶ You may want to encourage others to do the same, and put off get-togethers when someone in your group is feeling sick.⁶

This is also the perfect time to catch up on your family's annual wellness visits. Ask your doctor about any vaccination that can help protect you from viruses like the flu and COVID-19 which can become severe if you're infected, especially during the peak season for respiratory illnesses.^7-9

Why wait? Get treatment when you're sick

If you start to feel sick and are stuck with a bad cough, fever, or body aches, don't wait to contact your doctor - it could be COVID-19. There are factors that the CDC identifies as putting someone at high risk of getting very sick, so if COVID-19 strikes, act fast!¹⁰ Even mild symptoms can quickly become severe, which is why it's important not to "wait it out."¹¹

If you or a loved one are at high risk and start to notice symptoms or test positive, know that there are treatment options available and go ask your doctor if prescription medicine for COVID-19 may be right for you. Again, urgency is important as treatment needs to be started within days of getting sick.¹²

Don't have a doctor? You can book an appointment to connect with one through a telehealth service of your choice. Book here and learn more at COVIDKnowAndGo.com.

While the holidays can get extraordinarily hectic, prioritizing your health with this checklist can help you and your family make the most of whatever the season brings.

© Pfizer Inc. All rights reserved. PP-C1D-USA-0992. November 2024.

Sources:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 can surge throughout the year.
2. National Institutes of Health. Good Sleep for Good Health.
3. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Healthy Breakfasts.
4. National Institutes of Health. Hydrating for Health.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Handwashing.
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You're Sick.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Benefits of the Flu Vaccine.
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Benefits of Getting Vaccinated.
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Immunizations for Respiratory Viruses Prevention.
10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors.
11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of COVID-19.
12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If You Get Sick with COVID-19, Antiviral Treatments Can Protect You Against Severe Illness.