November is about to turn into December. Around here, there is snow on the ground and a chill in the air. Our Thanksgiving was in October, but the holiday parties have definitely started. People are gathering indoors, and the ventilation isn’t always great.

Cue the same triple-demic we had last year – not just COVID, but also flu and RSV. Hospitals are already starting to see the effects, and it has only just started. 

I’m telling you this not to scare you, but to urge you to consider protecting yourself and your loved ones with the simplest, easiest and most cost-effective way that we have. Yes, it’s important to get vaccinated – studies show that vaccinated people (at least for flu and COVID – the RSV vaccine is not really available for adults around here) have a much lower chance of dying or being hospitalised. Washing your hands is always a good idea, although all three of these diseases are airborne. Staying home when you are sick is very important, if at all possible. This is true for adults as well as children.

But the best cure is prevention – just not getting infected is by far the best way to stay healthy. Studies have shown that there is no acquired immunity to this kind of virus – which means that getting repeatedly infected will not make you immune to them. If anything, they will make you more susceptible to other diseases, such as strep. Post-viral syndrome, such as Long Covid, is not much fun either. Why take the risk?

The blue surgical masks you see in many places were designed, as the name implies, to protect patients during surgery from bacterial infection originating with the surgical team. They don’t do a lot to protect the person who is wearing them, although they are better than nothing. An N95 (with head straps) or KN95 (with ear loops) mask does a much better job, and they are now easy and not very expensive to buy. My daughter and I get them in fun colours too! You may need to experiment to find a brand that is comfortable and a good fit for your face. I buy mine mostly from Canada Strong Masks, and we joke that if they only had an affiliate program, I would never need to work again! That’s how often I recommend them.

In several Asian countries, masking during the respiratory virus season is completely normal and considered a courtesy to those around us. It is unfortunate that it has become so politicised in the West, that people are at risk, in some places, of being harassed for wearing a mask. It is a truly astounding testament to the power of the human mind to take a simple, life-saving action and turn it into a political threat. I am strongly reminded of Jonathan Swift’s Big Endians and Little Endians, except that here we are talking about people’s long-term health.

I’d love to know how you are keeping yourself safe during this time! Drop me a note and let me know.