9 Ways to Keep Your Household Healthy When Someone Has a Cold

It doesn’t take much for a cold to sweep through your home. One person catches it, and suddenly the whole household is sniffling, coughing, and feeling run down. This scenario is common in the Philippines, especially in close-knit families that often live under one roof and share many day-to-day routines. And while a cold may not be as serious as other illnesses, it spreads fast, and the effects can still disrupt your household’s daily life, work, and school schedules.

On top of taking medicine for cold Philippines-based families trust, it’s also important to take precautions to prevent the illness from spreading to every family member. To prevent that domino effect, you’ll want to understand just how contagious the common cold is and why it spreads so easily within a household.

Why Are Colds So Contagious?

Colds are caused by viruses, most commonly rhinoviruses, which spread through droplets in the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even talks. These droplets can land on surfaces like doorknobs and tabletops. If you touch one of those surfaces and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, the virus can enter your system. It also spreads through direct contact, such as shaking hands or sharing drinks with someone who’s sick. Since symptoms can be mild at first, a person can be contagious even before they realize they have a cold.

How to Prevent the Spread of a Cold

It’s easy for the virus to make its way from one person to the next in a shared household where people are in constant contact and often use the same items. But the good news is that with a few smart habits and adjustments, you can lower the risk of the cold spreading and keep everyone else in the house healthy. Here’s what you can do:

1) As Much as Possible, Isolate the Sick Household Member

Is someone in your home showing symptoms? Have them stay in a separate room where they can rest and recover without close contact with others. If there’s a spare bedroom or a quiet space that can be temporarily set aside, use it. It’s also ideal for them to have their own bathroom, but if that’s not an option, make sure to disinfect the shared bathroom after each use.

This may not always be easy in households where space is limited or rooms are shared. However, even just keeping some physical distance, like assigning one part of a shared room or placing a fan to direct airflow away from others, can help reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

2) Wear Masks Indoors and Around the Sick Person

Encourage the sick person to wear a mask when they’re around others in the house. Meanwhile, unaffected family members can also wear masks when entering the patient’s room or when in close proximity to them. This helps limit the spread of respiratory droplets that may contain the virus.

While wearing a mask at home might feel odd at first, especially in a casual setting, it’s a small and temporary adjustment that can help prevent others from catching the same illness.

3) Wash Hands Frequently and Properly

No matter if there’s a sick family member at home or not, make handwashing a priority for everyone in the household. Use soap and water, and wash for at least 20 seconds. Make a point to do this especially before eating, after using the toilet, or after touching shared items. Keep alcohol-based hand sanitizers in commonly used areas too, like the living room or dining table, so that family members can clean their hands quickly if needed.

It’s also helpful to remind children how to wash their hands properly, as they can often rush through it or forget to do it altogether.

4) Avoid Sharing Personal Items

It’s common to share things like utensils, towels, or glasses in many households. But when someone has a cold, it’s best to avoid sharing these items. Set aside a designated set of personal items for the sick person and ensure they’re not mixed in with everyone else’s. Labeling cups or providing color-coded toothbrushes or utensils is a simple way to avoid accidental sharing, especially in a home with kids.

5) Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces Regularly

Viruses can survive on surfaces for hours, sometimes longer. To prevent surfaces in your home from contributing to the spread of colds, wipe down commonly touched items like doorknobs, remote controls, light switches, and even refrigerator handles with disinfectant daily. Use alcohol or a bleach solution for quick and effective cleaning.

6) Keep Air Flowing Through Your Home

Good ventilation can help reduce the concentration of virus particles indoors. Open windows to let fresh air in, especially in shared areas like the sala or dining room. You can also use electric fans to improve air circulation and direct airflow out of the room where the sick person is staying. If you have an air purifier, now’s a good time to use it.

7) Encourage Proper Cough and Sneeze Etiquette

Teach everyone in the house to cover their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and to dispose of used tissues immediately. If a tissue isn’t available, coughing into the elbow is the next best option. After coughing or sneezing, wash hands immediately. This simple habit helps stop viruses from landing on surfaces or getting passed through touch.

8) Support Everyone’s Immune System

Keeping the rest of the family strong is just as important as containing the cold. Make sure everyone’s eating nutritious meals and staying hydrated. Getting enough rest also contributes to ensuring everyone’s health.

9) Watch for Early Symptoms in Others

Even if everyone’s taking precautions, keep an eye out for early signs of a cold in other family members. A slight cough, stuffy nose, or sore throat may indicate the start of a cold. Catching these signs early can make a big difference. Also, prompt rest and care can help prevent it from worsening or spreading further.

A cold may be contagious, but it doesn’t have to take over your entire household. Stay mindful of how it spreads and take a few practical steps, and you can care for your loved one without putting everyone else at risk. With a bit of caution and care, it’s entirely possible to keep the whole family healthy.