15 Surprising Ways to Prevent Colds and Flu

Go for a fist bump

The next time someone approaches you with palm outstretched, try a fist bump or air kiss instead. “Shaking hands may be a social expectation, but it is also an excellent method of transferring germs from one person to another,” says J.D. Zipkin, MD, at GoHealth Urgent Care. That’s why Harvard Medical School alternately suggests a fist bump, which in a study transferred 90 percent fewer germs than a handshake.”While avoiding a handshake is not always socially feasible, hand-washing afterward will kill any germs you picked up,” Dr. Zipkin says. In addition, if you can’t avoid the handshake, don’t touch your face afterward to prevent germs on your hands from migrating to your nose and mouth. Find out the clear signs a cold is coming.

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