Seasonal sickness on the rise. Tips to prevent winter's germs

The flu, colds and other respiratory illnesses are often more common throughout the winter. People spend more time indoors together, especially during the holidays, which promotes the spread of illnesses. The cold dry air can also impact our ability to fend off illnesses, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Being proactive is the best way to prevent getting sick. This is especially true during the winter, when COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), "stomach" viruses like norovirus and common colds become overly active. 

Here's a quick reminder of the easy steps you can take to lower your risk of getting an illness and infecting others as the peak flu and cold season draws near.

Outlook for respiratory illnesses this year

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the combined peak hospitalization rates for influenza, COVID-19 and RSV have been estimated to be within 20% of the previous season's peak and comparable to 2024–2025 levels.

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Trends in widespread illnesses for the flu, COVID-19 and RSV

In many states, the trend of widespread illnesses has changed from "not changing" to "growing." Here's a look at the CDC's anticipated outlook for the flu, COVID-19 and RSV, as of Dec. 9:

Keep your seasonal vaccinations current

It's not too late to get vaccinated against seasonal illnesses like the flu, COVID-19 and RSV. According to health experts, it's better to get vaccinated late in the season than not at all because these infections circulate for months and typically peak in winter or early spring.

However, the CDC did revise its universal recommendation for the yearly COVID-19 vaccinations for those 6 months of age and older in October "based on individual-based decision-making," or personal choice.

Health professionals still advise obtaining these vaccinations, particularly as respiratory virus season peaks. COVID-19 and RSV vaccines protect against current strains and serious illness throughout the winter and flu shots are also effective, according to The New England Journal of Medicine.

Make a habit of washing your hands – frequently

One of the simplest ways to protect yourself against most illnesses is a common sense one: Wash your hands. But how frequently should you wash them? 

There’s no set number, but paying attention to routine times and washing for the right length of time will stop germs from spreading and help keep you healthy. Example: Wash before and after you eat, after using the bathroom, after coughing or sneezing, after touching garbage or petting the dog or cat, according to the Mayo Clinic.

"Among the many infection prevention practices available to doctors, good handwashing has made the single biggest impact on infection transmission and resulted in savings millions of lives," Arjun Venkatesh, chair of emergency medicine for Yale Medicine, said on Yale's website.

Keep your germs to yourself

Like most seasonal illnesses, they may have similar symptoms, such as a cough or sniffles. So it might be tricky to identify the cause of an illness.

You can be at your most contagious just before you have symptoms, according to the StanfordReport.

So, if you feel ill and are actively sick, it’s best to stay at home. This will help prevent the spread of illness.

When to see a doctor

Most seasonal respiratory illnesses are often minor and can be treatable at home for healthy people. 

But each person can be affected differently. RSV, COVID-19, the flu and the cold can all start with similar symptoms but progress in very different ways. Don’t disregard symptoms that persist, get worse or impair your breathing.

Contact a doctor or visit an urgent care clinic if symptoms worsen to help determine your care.

Contributing: Javier Zarracina

SOURCE: CDC, WHO, Healthline.com, Mayo Clinic, Stanford University, Yale Medicine, The New England Journal of Medicine and USA TODAY research

This story was updated to add new information.