How to keep flu from thriving in your home

(ARA) - It's prime flu season, and each year we hear the same advice: get your flu shot, wash your hands frequently and cover your mouth when you sneeze. Flu particles can linger in the air and on the surfaces we touch day in and day out, from computer keyboards and TV remotes to the kitchen sink or refrigerator door handle. With flu top of mind this year, there has also been increased interest in the science behind how the flu virus lives, and history may hold the answers.

Grandma may have been ahead of her time when keeping a tea kettle warming on the stove in winter to moisten the air. A new, comprehensive scientific research paper has given new insight into the lifespan of the flu virus and how humidity plays a significant role in the survival of the virus on surfaces and in the air. Taking into account the findings from a number of published, peer reviewed studies from over the last 70 years, an independent team of scientists and researchers hailing from such institutions as the Harvard School of Public Health, have found that in more humid environments, the flu virus survival time is markedly decreased.

Specifically, the research showed that homes kept at 40 to 60 percent humidity are likely to have fewer flu viruses lurking in the air and on often-touched surfaces like sink faucets, door handles and countertops. While the typical flu virus can survive on surfaces and in the air for up to 24 hours, the survival time in a more humid environment is significantly lower.

"The flu virus is all around us this time of year - at the office, in schools, on public transportation. If the flu virus is in your home due to a sick family member or visitor, you want to do everything you can to shorten its life span," says Dr. Ted Myatt, senior scientist at Environmental Health and Engineering, Inc. and co-author of the new report. "We've always known that humidifiers are a great way to soothe cold and cough symptoms, but using a humidifier can also help to maintain proper humidity levels in your home."

"The research suggests that a proper level of relative humidity in your home can really make a difference in the survival of the flu virus," adds Jim McDevitt, instructor at the Harvard School of Public Health and a certified industrial hygienist by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene. "If you can maintain those levels, the number of flu virus particles in the air and on surfaces are likely to decrease."

Because flu season strikes at what is, for many areas of the country, the driest time of the year, you can combine your efforts to combat the flu with the recommended steps to make your home environment more comfortable. It's not uncommon for winter humidity levels to dip as low as 20 percent, which can lead to dry skin, chapped lips, parched throats and other discomforts.

The most essential tool for increasing relative humidity levels is a good humidifier. If you think your humidity levels might not be up to par - or if you want to better maintain them - a hygrometer is a handy device available at most drug stores. Hygrometers provide a digital readout of the relative humidity in your home, and are compact and low-cost. If you use your hygrometer and humidifier together to keep humidity at the ideal 40 to 60 percent level, the research indicates the flu will have less of a chance of surviving in your home.

Courtesy ARAcontent