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Got the sniffles? Here’s how to stay healthy this flu season, and what to do if you get sick
Hand washing and vaccinations are effective preventive measures, while rest and fluid are effective treatments for many respiratory illnesses
Dec. 10, 2025 5:30 am, Updated: Dec. 10, 2025 7:13 am
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It’s that time of year — those around us are spreading holiday cheer and, in some cases, respiratory illnesses, too.
Flu season usually peaks in the winter months and influenza, COVID-19, RSV and the common cold are all in the mix. If you’ve got a tickle in your throat or want to keep that snotty nose at bay, here’s what you need to know keep yourself and those around you healthy.
Tried and true: washing your hands and getting a flu shot
You probably already know the best strategies to avoid getting sick: thorough handwashing, covering your cough and staying away from sick people. Experts repeat these suggestions every year because they work.
Vaccines are another reliable tool to reduce the chances of catching the flu.
“The absolute best thing to do in terms of trying to prevent influenza is to get a flu shot,” said Andrew Patterson, medical director of MercyCare South.
Flu shots teach your body how to fight infection by introducing it to dead or synthetic influenza strains. Then, if a living virus enters your system, your body knows how to make proteins called antibodies that can identify and destroy it.
Even if you’ve had a flu shot in the past, it’s important to get one each year. Different strains, or types of influenza, are constantly emerging. Scientists develop new vaccines annually to protect people from the year’s most likely common strains.
A yearly flu shot still is worth it, even if you end up getting sick, Patterson said.
“It can be very helpful to help keep those symptoms from being more severe, can keep people out of the hospital and can help prevent more serious complications,” he said.
The CDC estimated vaccinations during the 2019-2020 flu season prevented an estimated 7 million influenza illnesses and 100,000 influenza-related hospitalizations.
It’s not too late to get a flu shot
The state tracks respiratory virus activity on a weekly basis throughout the year. As of Dec. 1 — the most recent report posted online by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services — the week of Nov. 16-22 saw “very low“ activity in Iowa for influenza, COVID-19 and RSV.
The first flu-related death of this season was announced by the state on Nov. 21. It was an older adult in southwest Iowa.
The state’s flu vaccination rate is currently the lowest it’s been in the last seven years.
According to data from Iowa HHS, almost 26 percent of Iowans have received a flu shot this year. By contrast, 35.6 percent were vaccinated by this time last year, and 40.6 percent were by this time in 2019.
“It’s not too late to get vaccinated. There’s still time,” said Melanie Wellington, chair of the Johnson County Board of Health and an associate hospital epidemiologist at University of Iowa Health Care.
Where to find a flu shot near you
Most insurance plans cover flu shots at no cost to the user.
- If you have a primary care provider, their office likely provides vaccinations
- Pharmacies like Hy-Vee, Walgreens and CVS usually offer vaccination appointments
If you don’t have health insurance, there are still options.
- Free vaccinations through Iowa’s Vaccines for Adults and Vaccines for Children programs are available at your local public health department
- You can also check with your local free health clinic to see if they have free or low-cost flu shots
Wellington likened vaccinations to obstacles in the viral pathway to patients’ homes.
“If nobody’s vaccinated, it’s like there’s a highway pointed straight at your house. There’s nothing to stop it,” she said. “But if lots of people around you are vaccinated, there’s a lot of stop signs there’s a lot of red lights. If everybody around you is vaccinated, there’s an entire detour around your house and nobody can actually even drive there.”
Fluids and rest are key
If you start to feel under the weather, Wellington suggested thinking back to your childhood caregiver’s advice.
“When they would say plenty of rest, plenty of fluids, they were right,” she said.
A person is most contagious when they’re first starting to get sick, Wellington said. She suggested making decisions as if you are sick until proven otherwise. That includes staying home from work or school, if possible.
“A general rule of thumb is, when you’re no longer feeling completely rotten, my recommendation is to wait one more day,” Wellington said.
Ultimately, taking steps to keep yourself from getting sick also benefits those around you.
“There are going to be cases of influenza,” said Patterson. “That’s unavoidable, but let’s do what we can to keep it away, especially from the more susceptible populations.”
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