The following are 6 tips that will help prevent you from getting the flu this year.

As the seasons change and we welcome the fall, we also have to think about an old familiar problem that comes around each year – the flu. If you’ve ever had the flu, you know that it can be a miserable experience.

Many people lose time at work, end up in the hospital, and some even die from the flu each year. But there are many things you can do to prevent coming down with this seasonal ailment.

Now is the time to create a plan to keep it at bay.

1. Get Vaccinated. Many people find that the flu vaccine is a good choice to help them prevent the flu. Many health insurance companies provide the vaccine free of charge. You can also get the vaccine at many pharmacies.

The virus that is used for a vaccine is not live, so this vaccine doesn’t give you the flu. Instead, it helps your immune system to identify the flu and keep it from infecting you when you come into contact with it later.

2. Avoid Contact. It sounds obvious, but one of the most important things you can do is to avoid contact with someone infected. That may mean staying at least arm’s length away from someone who has symptoms.

3. Wash Your Hands. Your hands are the most common way that you actually pick up the flu. It can live on surfaces such as countertops and doorknobs. If you get the virus on your hands and then you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth you can become infected. Keeping your hands clean will help you to avoid infection.

4. Clean Your Environment.  The flu virus can hang out on surfaces in your workplace or home. It’s a good idea to clean surfaces with a disinfectant that has been proven to kill the flu virus.

5. Keep Your Immune System Strong. An important way you can combat the flu is to keep your body healthy and strong. That means eating nutritious foods, getting plenty of rest, staying physically active and managing stress.

6. Stay Home If You’re Sick. If you do catch the flu, it’s important to stay home so that you don’t put other people in its path. If you have a fever over 101 degrees F, you should make sure that you keep away from others who are healthy so that they aren’t exposed.

If you take some basic precautions, you can avoid having to deal with the flu this season. And if you do somehow pick up the flu or another illness, do your part to keep others from getting sick.