9 Tips To Stay Healthy And Safe During The Monsoon Season
Shield yourself from rainy day risks with expert advice for ultimate wellness.
Image: Shutterstock
The monsoon season is upon us. For many of us, the onset of monsoon season means an increased chance of falling sick. Considering the rising number of coronavirus cases around us, it’s even more concerning when you find yourself with a slight cough. Unfortunately, as the monsoons roll in, we are twice as likely to be exposed to multiple parasites, bacteria, and viruses that may be present in the environment around us. While we may be spending less time outdoors than we would in the past due to social distancing, we have to venture outside occasionally. Here are a couple of precautions we can take to stay as safe as possible during this monsoon season (1):
1. Stay Away From Street Food
Street food during the monsoon season is a big no-no as you never know the number of harmful microorganisms that might be present in the food. The streets are filled with potholes that are brimming with mud and water. The longer the street food stall is out in public during the rains, the more likely it is to get dirty. While you may love your street food dearly and occasionally indulge in your cravings, you should ensure that the vendor uses gloves and other hygienic equipment (2).
2. Drink Some Orange Juice
Consuming vitamin C can help build up your immunity and protect you against catching a cold. You can build up your resistance to catching common infections by consuming vitamin C through oranges, vitamin C supplements, and concentrated juices. Keeping your immunity strong is a very important part of monsoon safety measures that you should observe. Vitamin C can also treat cold symptoms and make them last for fewer days (3).
3. Get Rid Of Any Stagnant Water Near You
Everyone knows that stagnant water is often the breeding ground for mosquitoes, and this can lead to more and more mosquitoes sprouting up in your area. If you notice stagnant pools of water, empty or cover them so that mosquitoes cannot breed in them. Make sure you only consume purified or treated water and don’t just drink from the tap or a street stall (4).
4. Get Enough Sleep
This is one of the most important factors a person should keep in mind. Getting enough sleep is essential for the smooth functioning of a human body. This will ensure that your immunity is in the best fighting shape possible and won’t be one to take a hit easily. While binge-watching Netflix shows all night might be tempting, getting a sufficient 8-hour sleep is important to keep your immunity up!
5. Dry Yourself As Soon As You’re Indoors
If you’re drenched and were exposed to someone with even a slight cold, there is a high chance of you catching it from them. If you’ve had mud or sludge splashed on you, you need to take your clothes off and wash them with a disinfectant liquid or soap instead of just washing them in the washing machine. This will protect your washing machine and you from any bacteria that may be present on your clothing.
6. Don’t Wear Wet Shoes
Considering the monsoons come every year, it is important to invest in a good pair of rainy footwear. You need to avoid wearing shoes that can stay wet for an extended period. Or if you have to wear shoes and non-rain friendly footwear, you should carry a spare pair of shoes to change into when you’re indoors.
7. Wear A Face Mask Outdoors
This is an absolute must. Considering that the coronavirus is a respiratory virus and spreads through infected droplets, we must wear masks outdoors. This will also help prevent you from catching a cold while outdoors. You should also ensure that you stay protected from the rain by carrying an umbrella or a raincoat (5).
8. Cut Your Nails Often
Your nails can collect a lot of dust, microorganisms, and bacteria underneath them. You must ensure you keep your nails short, trimmed, and super clean during this time. Besides handwashing, you must also ensure that you sanitize every inch of your palm and lower hand when you wash it. If you’re on the go and can’t wash your hands, use a sanitizer. This is crucial to do if you’ve come in contact with a surface that is used by a lot of people in the public.
9. Avoid Interacting With Sick People
Unless the sick person is also wearing a face mask, it is best to avoid interacting with them. If the sick person is wearing a face mask, it will lower your chances of catching the infection. However, if both you and the sick person are wearing face masks, this will reduce your chances of falling sick exponentially. If your job doesn’t involve you interacting with sick people daily, invest in a good quality non-medical, reusable mask with multiple layers.
Recently, a few people have been spreading misinformation about wearing face masks and trying to discourage people from wearing them. This should be dealt with swift action as we need to wear face masks (or face shields if uncomfortable) while out in large public spaces (6).
Many places like supermarkets, grocery stores, restaurants, and other locations require you to wear a mask while on the premises. At the end of the day, it is up to us to stay safe during this difficult time. Let us know if any of these tips were of help to you. Have any more to add? Please tell us in the comments.
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