YOUR COLD
SEASON
SURVIVAL KIT

 

KEEPING COLDS AWAY1

A cold doesn’t have to hijack your life. Follow these top tips to put up the best defense against catching one — and have a gameplan for treating symptoms if you do. After all, a common cold is best tackled with common sense.

WASH YOUR HANDS.
EVERY TIME.1

Doorknobs, switches, shopping cart handles … viruses cling to anything we touch. Clean away germs by washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water (or at least use sanitizer).

DISINFECT
WHAT YOU
TOUCH1

Grab a disinfectant spray or cleaning wipes and use them regularly on the things you, your coworkers or your cohabitators touch a lot. This is a best practice all year long, but increase the frequency to at least once a day during cold season.

STOP.
TOUCHING.
YOUR. FACE.1

Cold-causing viruses make a beeline for your face. Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes unless you’ve just washed your hands.

GIVE PEOPLE
SPACE1

Cold going around? Skip the handshakes and hugs. Close contact with other people’s faces or hands especially puts you in the cold-catching danger zone. You can stay social — just keep your social distance.

GET BACK ON YOUR FEET. FAST.

It happens to the best of us, but you don’t have to take it lying down (well, you probably should lie down for a bit). Get on top of symptoms to get back to your life.

Whether it’s tea, warm water with lemon or broth, drinking warm liquids can be soothing, prevent dehydration and ease congestion.

number 1 label stating stay hydrated

As well as a runny nose, swollen nasal membranes and sinuses. Swelling is from inflamed blood vessels. Afrin shrinks the swollen nasal membranes in seconds, so you can breathe more freely.

number 2 label stating fight that stuffed up feeling

Scratchy throat? Coughing yourself hoarse? Try the classic saltwater gargle remedy — as well as ice chips, sore throat sprays, lozenges or hard candies.2

number 3 label stating soothe your throat

Muscle aches make most things difficult, especially sleep. OTC pain medications like Aleve® can help — just follow the recommended dosage.

number 4 label stating treat aches and pains
gray background with 12 hour icon

12-HOUR NASAL CONGESTION RELIEF IS SECONDS AWAY.

Just like your phone, your immune system recharges while you sleep. Aim for at least eight to 10 hours a day3. And take that nap.

number 4 label stating treat aches and pains

Cold season = cold, dry air. And this can worsen a sore throat. A humidifier is a great tool – or simply breathe deeply under a warm shower.4

number 6 label stating humidify the air

Coughs irritate throats and keep you up at night. OTC cold and cough medicines can help.2 Just check that the ingredients won’t interact with anything else you’re taking. Use as directed.

number 7 label stating get your cough under control

The truth is, you can take every precaution and still end up sick. But throw everything at that sneaky virus and it won’t have you on the ropes for long.

3 PHASES OF A COMMON COLD

What to expect, and what
you can do about it

LEARN ABOUT YOUR COLD

 

 

HOW DOES AFRIN® STACK UP?

IT AF'N WORKS

 

 

REFERENCES

  1. Common Colds: Protect Yourself and Others. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed November 2, 2022.
  2. Cold remedies: What works, what doesn’t, what can’t hurt. Mayo Clinic. Accessed November 2, 2022.
  3. The Do’s and Don’ts of Easing Cold Symptoms. John Hopkins Medicine. Accessed November 2, 2022.
  4. Stuffy or runny nose – adult. Mount Sinai. Accessed November 2, 2022.