by Andrea Petersen at Wall Street Journal
Squirt bottles filled with saline solution, elderberry tablets and cans of chicken soup: These are just a few of the weapons doctors deploy when they personally get struck down by a winter virus.
Americans are being hit with a barrage of seasonal illnesses right now including flu, RSV and Covid-19. So, we asked ear, nose and throat specialists, pediatricians and family doctors about the medicines they take and remedies they swear by when sick.
All the doctors said that rest and fluids are key. And everyone said it’s important to be up-to-date on flu shots and Covid vaccinations, including boosters. They had more surprising advice too, such as which over-the-counter medications are worth taking, when to stock up on supplies, and how to avoid a potential risk of nasal irrigation.
Here’s what else the doctors said:
Medications
Marc G. Dubin, an ear, nose and throat doctor (or otolaryngologist) in Towson, Md., usually catches a respiratory bug once or twice a year. “We’re sort of in everyone’s faces being sneezed on and coughed on all day,” he says.
With cold medicines,…