Looking for ways to cut your odds of getting influenza?

A February 2009 PNAS paper by Jeffrey Shamana Melvin Kohn points toward a way: a decline in absolute humidity might explain much of the increase in incidence of flu during the winter.

Humidifiers in offices and other closed spaces might cut the incidence of the flu. If you live by yourself them a humidifier at home probably isn’t going to lower your risk much unless you have visitors. However, stores, businesses, and government offices could probably reduce the spread of flu by keeping the air much more humid.