Once school starts and the weather turns cold, you can count on one thing: kids will bring home the germs that cause colds and the flu. Here are six tips from the experts on how you can protect your family from getting sick this winter.
1. Wash your hands.
Hand-washing is critical and, according to the Harvard Medical Center?s Patient Education Guide on Colds and Flu, there are four essential components:

Wash but don?t scrub, since scrubbing can irritate and damage your skin. Cracks and small cuts provide a place for viruses to grow.
Use hand moisturizer to keep the skin on your hands from drying out and developing cracks.
Cut fingernails short. If fingernails are long and hard to clean, they can harbour germs.
Wash your hands for as long as it takes to sing ?Happy Birthday.?
2. Get the flu shot.
According to the Center for Disease Control in the U.S., everyone over the age of six months who is eligible for the flu vaccine should get it. Check with your doctor to see if it?s right for you and your family. Remember that it takes up to two weeks to provide immunity, at which point your body will have created antibodies to fight off the virus in the event you?re exposed to it that season.
There can be some side effects from the vaccine, most commonly soreness at the site of the vaccination (usually in the bicep muscle). Other side effects include fever, fatigue, and muscles aches, which can begin six hours after vaccination and last up to two days.
3. Clean (and disinfect) ...