As the winter season rolls around, so does cold and flu season.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority is encouraging southwest residents, families, and everyone else to stay safe, take the necessary precautions, and receive their vaccines.
Dr. David Torr, medical health officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and Area Department Lead for the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, noted that infections and viruses like the flu spread much easier in colder temperatures.
"Staying warm is very important," shared Dr. Torr. "We see influenza really coming up a lot in the cold season, these viruses thrive in cold weather and they spread much better in the cold weather.
"In the cold, if you're not hydrated or you're not well warmed up it's very easy to have the mucus membranes much drier and therefore you have less of a mucus covering that protects you."
Those who are sick or experiencing symptoms are advised to remain at home, avoid being in close proximity to others, and practice good hygiene such as coughing into the elbow and thorough hand washing.
"[Vaccines] help reduce the severity of illness, reduce the likelihood of complications, and reduce the likelihood of hospitalization," added Dr. Torr. "After the vaccination, even if you got the infection you're likely to spread less of that infection around than somebody who has not had the vaccine."