Want to avoid spending days in bed with a box of tissues and Dayquil? With flu season beginning and sickness escalating, making an effort to stay healthy during this winter season is crucial. Dr. Tristan Guevara, a family practice physician located in Sterling Heights, gives advice to those who seek a healthy winter.

“RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) spiked in the summer, which doesn’t occur often,” Guevara said. “It’s always a winter infection, but it spiked then and has continued to spike because for several years, people didn’t have any exposure. We’re all starting to create our own antibodies again. The good news is that it’s improving.”

Flu shots are available for easy access at CVS and more. Guevara recommends making an appointment soon to keep oneself and others around them safe.

“I will say that the flu shot is a wise shot to get this year as flu is more prevalent this year, and it seems like the vaccine’s working really well,” Guevara said.

At Guevara’s office, the staff doesn’t have a mask mandate, although they do recommend it for people that are sick. According to Guevara, the requirement has kept all of their staff from getting ill.

“So if anybody’s feeling sick, that’s what you do,” Guevara said. “Unfortunately, masks work.”

Although the statement has likely been on repeat this season, handwashing is an important aspect to staying healthy that may be taken for granted.

“It’s been proven throughout the years, pre COVID-19 and post COVID-19, to wash your hands,” Guevara said. There’s still a lot of germs everywhere.