Flu season has officially come to L.A. County. Yesterday the county health department announced that a man in his 30s is the season’s first confirmed influenza case. He had H3N2 (seasonal influenza A), not H1N1. Officials are urging everyone to get their flu shots, wash their hands, and stay home if they get sick. And here’s something new you can do.
Years ago, I was interviewing a doctor about cold and flu season – something I’ve done many seasons in a row. We were having the inevitable discussion about hand washing, and I mentioned how often people seem to put their hands in their mouths.
The doctor agreed, but told me that this wasn’t the biggest problem. Much more troubling to him was how often we pick our noses! It turns out that while germs can enter the body through the mouth, or even the eyes, noses are their preferred super-highway.
Nozin Nasal Sanitizer now offers a way to stop that traffic. It’s a blend of ethyl alcohol and moisturizers jojoba and Vitamin E that you drip onto a cotton swab and apply to the outer rim of your nostrils. It smells nice – like oranges – and doesn’t sting, making it kid-friendly. The manufacturer claims it can kill 99.99% of common cold- and flu-causing germs for up to 8 hours. And enough for 60 applications will only set you back $12.99.
If you’re dreading sniffle season, it’s worth a shot.