This is the No. 1 tip to avoid respiratory infections

Rates of infection for respiratory viruses are currently low in the United States but starting to rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu, COVID and RSV spread more in fall and winter, especially during holiday gatherings, travel and time spent indoors.

Dr. Robert Jacobson, medical director of Mayo Clinic’s Primary Care Immunization Program, says there are tools to help reduce the risk of becoming severely ill from these respiratory infections.

“We’re all at risk for getting the flu, and we can actually get (it) more than once a year. Every year, about 10 percent to 20 percent of us get the flu,” Jacobson says.

Along with the flu, COVID and RSV are among the most common respiratory illnesses. These viruses share similar symptoms, risks and prevention strategies.

Jacobson’s No. 1 tip: Get vaccinated. “This is specific protection your body can make to protect you and your loved ones,” he says.

Along with vaccination, Jacobson stresses the importance of hand-washing.

Wash your hands with soap and water to help prevent the spread of germs “especially before you eat, when you come home from work, when you come home from bringing your child from day care. Wash your hands with soap and water after using a bathroom, before serving other people food, after being with a group of people, shaking hands with people, wash your hands,” he says.

Other tips

Avoid touching your face: Keeping your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth helps keep germs away from those places.

Cover your coughs, sneezes: Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Then wash your hands.

Clean surfaces: Regularly clean often-touched surfaces.

Avoid crowds: The flu spreads easily wherever people gather — in child care centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and on public transportation. By avoiding crowds during peak flu season, you lower your chances of infection.

And if you get sick, stay home to avoid spreading infection to others.