In January, the CDC reported that every state in the continental U.S. showed widespread activity of the flu virus.

While this flu season’s rates of illness and death are not unusual on a national scale, the high levels of illness concentrated in particular areas show just how bad it can get when the flu virus strain takes hold.

And until we get that universal flu vaccine, the best defense is to protect yourself from the flu virus when in public and to try to maintain a healthy home environment.

Fight the flu virus inside your home

Healthy Home

The viruses that cause the flu virus are microscopic and easily transferred through direct contact or through the air. That’s why being in close quarters with other people increases your likelihood of becoming sick. Those public environments are hard to predict and impossible to control.

But you can control the air in your home to make it uninhabitable for some of those viruses. It comes down to three factors: Humidity, Air Purity, and Ventilation

Humidity

Dry indoor air is common during the winter season, and you and your family more susceptible to getting sick. In fact, low relative humidity has been linked to speedier progression and transmission of viruses in the air. The ideal humidity level for health and comfort is between 40-50%. Whole-home humidifiers are the most efficient and effective way to accomplish that number, but single-room units can be useful in bedrooms or wherever your family spends most of its time.

Air Purity

When viruses and germs go airborne, they can spread rapidly from person to person. You can help offset this with high-efficiency air purifiers that can consistently remove particles of the smallest size (0.3 – 1.0 microns). The purifier removes those viruses from the air so you’re not at risk of breathing them in and becoming sick.

Ventilation

The third tip: fresh air. While today’s tightly sealed homes are great for conserving energy, they can also trap air that contains flu viruses. Whole-home ventilation systems pull fresh air into your home from the outside, while pushing stale, contaminated air out. And if you don’t have a ventilation system, it never hurts to crack a window to get some fresh air.