As I write this, I hear coughing and sneezing from further back in the newspaper building. For the last two or three weeks a cold, bronchitis, sinus infection mixture has been making the rounds of our office. Some of those afflicted sought medical attention and tested negative for coronavirus and flu. We did have one part-time employee who tested positive for flu, but otherwise we’ve escaped those issues.

Sept. 1 traditionally begins the flu season in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has a website (search for Oklahoma flu view) that gives statistics. Since Sept. 1, four people with flu have died in the state. There have been 285 people testing positive for flu in the state since Sept. 1. New hospitalizations Dec. 26-Jan. 1 totaled 38. The website says so far the predominant strain is Type-A flu.

Covid-19 is also still with us. The latest stats from OSDH as of Jan. 3 show Alva with 21 active cases, Cherokee 8, Fairview 11 and Woodward 46. The OSDH lists any numbers below five as zero. New statistics for cities and zip codes are published on Wednesdays but date to the preceding Monday.

This time of year we are all exposed to cold viruses in addition to concerns about flu and Covid-19. There are immunizations for the latter two, but colds just have to be endured. However, we can take some measures to boost our immunity to respiratory viruses.

I read with interest a timely article in Psychology Today titled “At the Cold Front.” It says that about 15 percent of common colds are caused by a coronavirus, however these favor the upper respiratory tract rather than settling deep in the lungs.

This time of year, we need to focus even more on building immunity. Our immune system is influenced by our overall physical fitness. This includes things like regular physical activity, getting enough sleep and eating healthy foods. I do fairly well on sleep and like eating vegetables. The exercise part is more difficult since I spend a lot of time in front of a computer, and I could stand to lose a few pounds.

In addition to general physical fitness, the article I read discussed some supplements that can provide an immunity boost. Vitamins C and D and the mineral zinc are chief among them.

Vitamin C has long been known as an infection fighter. An antioxidant, it not only fortifies the mucosal barrier against invasion but also beefs up the killing capacity of neutrophils and other innate immune cells rushing to the scene. Although vitamin C is an essential micronutrient, 46 percent of American adults have inadequate intake, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Vitamin D, created when sun strikes the skin, is a nutrient with an ever-expanding portfolio, involved in many systems of the body, including the brain. So far, vitamin D has been found to stimulate production of substances that act as the body’s own antibiotics, killing off pathogens. But that may just be the start of it. Low levels of the vitamin are regularly found among those with respiratory and other infections. The NHANES study found about 95 percent of American adults get inadequate amounts of the nutrient.

The mineral zinc takes a different approach to immunity. Supplied to the American diet primarily in red meat, it contributes to both innate and adaptive immunity. The mineral gets first immune responders to the site of infection and, once there, keeps inflammation from flaring out of control. Without zinc, the immune response becomes overzealous and tissue-destructive. According to the NHANES study, 15 percent of Americans have insufficient intake of zinc. Researchers estimated that among the elderly, 40 percent are outright deficient.

Taken in the form of lozenges, zinc supplements shorten the duration of colds, but the verdict is still out whether they can ward them off altogether.

There’s also elderberry. Not a nutrient, it’s a traditional remedy for viral respiratory illness, and Covid-19 has heightened interest in it. The fruit of the Sambucus tree, elderberry is loaded with antioxidants. In one randomized clinical trial, it limited the duration and severity of colds among air travelers.

Some of the measures we use to protect ourselves from Covid-19 are also useful in warding off colds and flu. Washing or sanitizing hands frequently, wearing a mask and keeping six feet or more of distance are effective prevention techniques.

Correction

In last week’s column I wrote about a book titled The Rose Code set during World War II. The book concludes shortly after the war ended and the characters were returning to “normal” life. During that time Princess Elizabeth was scheduled to marry Prince Phillip.

I don’t generally pay much attention to British Royalty, but Queen Elizabeth has reigned throughout much of my lifetime with Prince Phillip at her side. Somehow, I managed to substitute Prince Charles, their son, as the groom instead. One alert reader let me know about the slip.