With cold and flu season comes time-honored traditions for relief and prevention: Feed a fever, starve a cold. Wear warm clothes. Eat chicken soup.
But just because those instructions have been around for decades doesn’t necessarily mean they’re effective.
Don’t: Sneeze into your hands
Generations of parents and teachers have told children to cover their mouths and noses when they sneeze or cough. The rule still applies, but now kids are being taught to aim into their elbows or sleeves.

“With little kids especially, when they sneeze or cough into their hands, they don’t always wash their hands, and then they use their hands to touch surfaces or other people,” explains Dr. Priya Sampathkumar, an infectious disease specialist with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

It’s hoped that sneezing into the elbow will prevent the further spread of germs, for young kids and adults alike.

Do: Keep your hands clean
Keeping your hands clean is crucial to avoid getting sick, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, colds and flu are viral, not bacterial, so antibacterial soap doesn’t help fight the illnesses, says Sampathkumar. “In some ways, they can actually be harmful, because environmental bacteria could become resistant,” she says. (More on page)