Humidity beats the flu - literally
Bottom Line: A quick look at the CDC’s flu map shows Florida still in “widespread” status with all of South Florida being in “outbreak” mode. If you’re looking for a silver lining the weekly update shows that activity has started to decrease across Florida. Fingers crossed the worst is behind us for the year. In the meantime, new research shows a potential silver bullet to fight the flu & it’s not about the flu shot. It’s humidity – even without the heat.
Researchers at the University of Illinois found that both the flu and cold viruses lose strength and are less likely to be contagious with increased humidity. Specifically, humidity starts battling the viruses at 40%. Part of the problem with flu season in Florida is that it coincides with our dry season. That being said, the recent front has brought back humidity. A quick check of our humidity showed we were at 67% when I put this story together – so that’s good news. More importantly, if you’re trying to keep the cold and flu away from you – consider a humidifier. Especially at work. With all of the attempts to cure the common cold, humidifiers just might be the secret weapon. Also, you can check the humidity in your weather app daily and get a sense of when you might be more at risk.