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Over the next six hours

Skip work if you can

Your body can fight off the virus better if you’re well-rested. But if you have to go in, it’s not the end of the world, says Janet O’Mahony, MD, an internal medicine physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Just steer clear of co-workers as best you can—the first few days of a cold is when you’re most contagious. To keep from sharing your germs, wash your hands regularly or use an alcohol-based disinfectant gel.

Next: Don’t forget the fluids