Cold and flu season has arrived once again here in Minnesota. While at times it seems like there is no avoiding it, there are effective ways to reduce the chances of you or your young hockey player getting sick this season. 

Here are some tips to help keep your hockey players healthy and on the ice this cold and flu season.

Wash Your Hands. The cold and flu are typically spread by direct contact. Germs can survive for hours on various surfaces waiting to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. That is why people tend to pass illnesses to the people they see the most often.

So washing your hands regularly is one of, if not the, most important methods of preventing the cold and flu. If you can't get to a sink, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are the next best option.

Cover the Basics. It may seem boring or repetitive but many of the keys to long-term health are the same for preventing illness.  Eating right, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly should be a critical component of anyone’s prevention efforts.

Hands Off. Remember the reason for #1? Don’t be that guy or girl that gets everyone else sick. Muffling coughs and sneezes with your hands usually results in passing along those germs to someone else. When you are about to sneeze or cough, either use a tissue and throw it away immediately or use the inside of your elbow.

No Face Time. Just like passing germs to other people, you can also pass cold and flu viruses to yourself through the eyes, nose or mouth. In fact, touching their faces is one of the major ways children catch colds and a common reason they pass colds on to their parents.

Keep it Clean. Disinfectants are a great way to help keep your home clean, especially in the bathroom and kitchen. Wipes that you can throw away are the best because anything that gets used repetitively is carrying the germs that it previously picked up.

Flu Guidelines. USA Hockey, with guidance from its Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Stuart, has issued the following information regarding influenza (the “flu”), including some basic recommendations to reduce the likelihood of spreading the infection.

USA Hockey recommends:

• Providing individual water bottles. Do not share water bottles.
• Cleaning workout gear for each practice/competition.
• Keeping gloves on during the traditional handshake with opponents.

Individuals with influenza may develop typical signs or symptoms of: fever (102°degrees F or greater), cough, muscle aches, runny nose, headache, or sore throat with the potential for more serious complications, including pneumonia.

Infected individuals should stay home until signs and symptoms have resolved and they have not had a fever for at least 24 hours. The 24-hour no-fever timeline should be achieved naturally, without the aid of fever reducing medications.