spreading of germs. Teach children the same practice,” she says. As far as stocking up the medicine cabinet goes, 61% won’t be buying any colds and flu medication to keep handy in case of an emergency and less than 4% will be cleaning humidifiers and checking whether other equipment, such as thermometers are still in good working condition. “While stockpiling medicine is never a good idea,” remarks Blackmore, “having a supply of pain and fever medication – for both adults and children, antihistamines, a nasal decongestant, expectorant, throat spray and an electrolyte mix are all winter essentials that should be stored in a safe place. It’s usually in the middle of the night that you need it most and when you’re feeling under the weather, the last thing you want to do is to venture out into the cold to get supplies from the pharmacy. It’s also a good idea to stock the pantry with enough food and the freezer with a few pre-cooked meals for when the symptoms strike. If you have young children, have an action plan in place by lining up support ahead of time,” advises Blackmore.