Physician shares tips on staying healthy this holiday season

KENTUCKY – As the holiday season grows closer, so does the season of sickness.

Families across America will be traveling to visit family and friends for the holidays, but with travel comes an increased chance of spreading and receiving different illnesses, especially the common cold, the flu and COVID-19.

While the pandemic may have ended, Kentucky is still feeling the deadly effects of COVID-19.

Chair Advocacy at Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians Dr. Patty Swiney says, “Everyone thought that once the pandemic was over, that COVID was over. But it’s going to stay here with us, just like the flu stays with us. And in the last three months in Kentucky, over 250 people have still died from COVID and COVID-related illnesses. In Kentucky alone. So it is still here and it’s still causing a great deal of illness and sickness and even death.”

Getting sick, especially around the holiday, can be a big nuisance and can ruin some holidays, but there are some easy ways you can protect yourself and your loved ones.

Swiney says, “I’ve been a big proponent of vitamin C, I take that every day, a thousand milligrams. And it’s a great way to prevent illness that keeps me healthy. If I forget to take it for a period of time or I’ve run out, I will get sick, I will have a cold. So I really stressed to my patients a vitamin C every day, Vitamin D, 2000 units every day, and even some zinc has been proven to increase our immune system’s.”

Swiney also says that when traveling, it’s best to wash your hands often, especially if you are traveling in close quarters like on an airplane or car and when in large gatherings to make sure the room is properly ventilated.