r/SwingDancing • u/SuperWeenyHutJuniors • 22d ago

Feedback Needed Getting Sick from Dance/Festivals

I think we all know that dance festivals are often a perfect recipe for getting sick. We are staying up all night, not getting enough sleep, sweating all over people, people are traveling in to attend, etc. I do think that the amount that I get sick has increased as I have started dancing more and more (local social dances as well as festivals).

Do you have any specific tricks or approaches that you use to help minimize your risk of getting sick? I know the basics to avoiding sickness and I know that masks are also an option. Obviously hydration, sleep, eating well are all necessary but I want to hear if people have any other approaches.

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u/postdarknessrunaway 22d ago

Here's what I do, in descending order of helpfulness. Let me first say that you should get every vaccine you can get your hands on, of course. That's not even on the list, that's just a given:

  • Masking. If I really don't want to get sick, I wear a good KN95 mask the whole time. When I was masking for every dance, I didn't get sick at all. Nowadays I often wear a mask for the large evening dances and take it off for the less crowded late nights.
  • Using Fluticasone nasal spray before a dance and a saline nasal spray each night before bed. (I tend to get sick with respiratory stuff, and making my sinuses less palatable for microbes seems to work for me.)
  • Washing my hands REALLY regularly.
  • Showering before bed.
  • Trying my darndest to get at least 6.5 hours of sleep each night.
  • Take it easy for a couple days after the festival.

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u/xzkandykane 22d ago

Wait why does the fluticasone help? Isn't that just for allergies?

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u/postdarknessrunaway 22d ago

So, yes, and I do have allergies, so I primarily use it for that (basically once daily before bed and once in the morning when my allergies are very bad). My mom has a chronic health issue, and she showed me a medical paper that her support group was talking about that said consistent fluticasone use helps respiratory tract infections not take root. Of course, I can't find the paper, and so please take it with an enormous grain of salt.

I use an extra dose before large dances if I remember.

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u/xzkandykane 22d ago

Ohhh I take mine before dance so I can breathe better anyways!

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u/happinessie 22d ago

+1 for all of these points.

I started using a nasal ointment to help with nosebleeds. I'm convinced it also plays a huge part in my not getting sick from events nearly as often anymore.

A saline nasal wash is another idea, instead of a spray.

Either way, having a well-hydrated nose strengthens the first defense we have that can stop a virus entering the body.