It's cold and flu season, which means germs are easily spread in public spaces, including schools. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2022, almost 6% of students aged 5 to 17 were constantly absent from school due to illness, injury or disability. Some may miss a day or two because they catch a bug in the classroom.

Dr. Markyia Nichols , practicing physician and chief medical officer at Ciba Health, says there are more than 200 different cold viruses , and they mutate constantly. Fortunately, we spoke with doctors and there are some things parents can do to prevent illness this flu and cold season.

1. Increase hand washing

Every doctor we consulted about helping kids stay healthy in school said their top advice is to ensure students wash their hands

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