Five Ways to Stay Healthy During Cold & Flu Season in Michigan

There's no denying it; we're in the thick of cold and flu season here in Michigan.

Rises in cold and flu cases prompted hospitals in the Detroit metro area to reevaluate mask policies and visitor restrictions ahead of the holiday season. For instance, in response to an illness surge on Thanksgiving, the Detroit Medical Center has tightened visitor rules after its flu positivity rate hit nearly 21%.

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After coming down with several head and chest colds over the holidays, it looks like my coworkers and I are keeping the sick streak alive into the new year.

As if a stuffy, congested head isn't bad enough to make matters worse, nearly 2,000 products of over-the-counter cold and flu medicines were recalled in states like Indiana, Minnesota, and North Dakota over concerns of contamination by rat feces. This recall affects brand names such as:

• Advil
• Alka-Seltzer
• Benadryl
• Children's NyQuil
• Tylenol
• Motrin
• Dayquil

What's really been getting me by this cold and flu season has been enjoying a nightly hot toddy with local honey, hot tea, lemon juice (Vitamin C), and cinnamon, to clear my sinuses and ease congestion. Well, guess what? Thousands of tea bags were just recalled in Michigan over salmonella concerns.

Just how bad are things in Michigan?

According to MLive we've reached the worst tier on the scale set by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), at least when it comes to the flu in Michigan:

About 11.3% of Michigan’s outpatient health care visits in late December were for influenza-like illness. That outpaced the national average (8.2%) and was an increase from 4.4% and 7.5% the two weeks prior.