With flu and cold season on the horizon and about to collide with major conventions, we all need a few tips on staying healthy! In huge groups of people, a cough or sneeze can spread to hundreds of people in a matter of minutes. Even if a true cold or flu virus doesn’t take hold of everyone, sickness at conventions can affect all attendees!

Before an Event

The most important steps you can take to prevent convention sickness:

  • Load up on Vitamin C
  • Get plenty of rest
  • Hydrate

These simple actions help keep your immune system strong before an event. Also, purchase and take an immune supplement just prior to the event, such as Airborne. This will help you stay well despite being with hundreds or thousands of fellow attendees.

When packing your bag for an event, make sure you have tissues, hand sanitizer, and wipes. These items will help you combat sickness.

At the Event

If you think you’re sick, go home! In crowded spaces, pathogens will travel easily. But, if you absolutely cannot leave (for example, if you have to work at the event), cough and sneeze into your elbows, not your hands! Also, use plenty of tissues and hand sanitizer, even if you have only an allergy.

Hand sanitizer will be your friend at any public event! However, you’ll need to be smart about how to use it. Rub sanitizer into your fingers, making sure to get between your fingers and under nails. Then, let your hands air dry before touching anything. It’ll also help to carry around wipes, especially if you’re visiting with little ones or if you plan to eat at the event.

Most people wash their hands on leaving the bathroom. But some don’t wash well (for 20 seconds as recommended). And that’s to say nothing of the people who don’t wash their hands! When leaving the bathroom, use one extra paper towel to turn the handle or push the door open. This keeps your freshly-cleaned hands from picking up new, nasty pathogens. If a spare paper towel is not available, use your arm or elbow to push the door open, or sanitize your hands afterward.

Finally, avoid touching your face and eyes. Even with plenty of precautions, you won’t be able to stop all germs. If you must touch your face or eyes, wash your hands first.

At a Booth

Visiting

Clean your hands after handling merchandise. Lots of people touch the flyers, pens, or retail products. If you’re worrying about your immune system, try to avoid handling the items in the booth if you can help it. This helps avoid the spread of disease, and can keep you healthy as well!

Operating

Wipe down your booth often, like during lulls. This includes the tabletop, pens and pencils, and laptops or touch screens. Not all merchandise items can be wiped down; but if you can, do so.

If you are concerned about your merchandise spreading pathogens, put up a sign asking visitors not to touch items. You can do this for sick visitors only, or for all customers.

Provide hand sanitizer if your booth will be touched a lot. This keeps any pathogens from other visitors from spreading.

After the Event

Once the day is done and you’re back at home, take some time to shower thoroughly. Though you’ve washed your hands all day, you will likely have picked up dirt and pathogens all over, just from being around so many people.

Feeling ill despite your best efforts? Especially if you have another day of the event to attend, try these remedies to get back on your feet:

  • Getting vitamin C in your diet or as a supplement
  • Making time to rest and get at least 8 hours of sleep
  • Drinking hot water with lemon and honey, or your favorite relaxing tea

But if you don’t improve, stay home. Missing an event can be tough, but it’s better than getting worse–or spreading your sickness around!

Wash Your Hands!

The ultimate key to avoid getting sick at conventions and events: wash your hands! Wash or use sanitizer after:

  • Handling merchandise
  • Using a pen or pencil at a booth
  • Using a public-use laptop, tablet, or touch screen at a booth
  • Touching public-use fixtures like door handles, water fountains, and railings
  • Going to the bathroom
  • Shaking hands

Talk to us today about other ways to stay healthy, like getting up to date on your vaccines or fighting off an illness before a convention.