Protect Your Immune System at the Office.

Flu season starts to pick up steam in October and peaks between December and February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the timing and duration varies from one year to the next and even from strain to strain, occurrences sometimes linger all the way until May.

Employees miss about 17,000,000 workdays each year due to the flu. The 2017-18 season included the highest rate of flu activity since 2009, resulting in an estimated 48,800,000 people getting sick with influenza; 22,700,000 people going to a health care provider; 959,000 hospitalizations; and 79,400 deaths.

The Influenza Specialist Group warns that even before symptoms become evident, contagious people can begin shedding the virus and infecting those around them. It has been found that influenza viruses can survive for up to an hour in the air in enclosed environments; more than eight hours on hard surfaces, such as stainless steel and plastic; and up to five minutes on hands after transfer from other surfaces.

With this in mind, here are some tips for...