The flu is so bad this year, The pros at the CDC say we are looking at three different strains of flu that are pretty hardcore, and we are also here in Massachusetts dealing with a major upswing in a Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-Uhl) virus, or RSV, which is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. And the cherry to top it off is that there is a bit of an upswing with covid.

There is another side to RSV. If you are older or have a weak immune system it can cause very serious problems like turning into Pneumonia. I had RSV at the start of the covid rearing its ugly head here in Massachusetts, and yes I did get pneumonia, let's say it was a horrible time and now I have to take extra precautions, I do not want to get sick with that again!

I have seen more people lately posting on Facebook that they have covid, so that is something else to take care of.

Over 1,000 people were asked how they greet people when they're sick.  11% said they just shake hands anyway.

Not a good idea.

For everyone else, here are the top five things we do instead of shaking hands.  Because folks were allowed to pick more than one answer
Wave hello instead of shaking.  51% said they do it.
Just avoid shaking hands altogether, 45%.
Fist bump, 16%.  We thought that would be a little higher.  Studies have found it's much safer than shaking hands.
Air kiss, 10%.
Elbow bump is another great one
One guy here says he likes the chest bump...right!

Aberystwyth University/YouTube

According to medical experts, the best defense against sickness is to keep up hand washing.

Fortunately, Americans are heeding that advice. 61% of respondents make it a point to suds up more frequently to avoid getting germs or passing them on to others.

Get out the Lysol wipes. Mine are in the kitchen, bathroom bedroom, and even small wipes in the living room.

On the home front, nearly 80% escalate their cleaning and sanitizing.

If a family member is sick or a bug is going around, they proactively wipe down bathroom surfaces, wash sheets and/or towels, and clean kitchen surfaces.

Make sure if you have kids going to school if possible, to wipe down their backpacks when they get home.

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