'Tis the season for sniffles.

The official start of winter is this Saturday, and that means heading into cold and flu season.

So how do you protect yourself?

Some studies suggest COVID may be twice as infectious as the flu.

One way to protect yourself is to avoid high-risk settings, or at least be cautious when you're there. Bars and restaurants are a big hotspot for transmission. People tend to talk close and not wear masks.

Another risky spot is gyms and fitness centers. Heavy breathing during exercise can release a lot more respiratory particles, which can be breathed in by others.

Even if you're outdoors, experts say if it's crowded you're at risk.

The cold and flu virus can live on surfaces for a few hours. The incubation period after you become infected is 12 hours to three days, and you can be infectious up to 14 days after symptoms start.

As for COVID, the virus can live on surfaces between five and nine days. Once infected, symptoms can appear between two and 14 days, and usually you're not contagious five days after symptoms appear.

If you are going to be at a high-risk place, the CDC still recommends wearing a mask, putting distance between yourself and others, practicing good hygiene and making sure you are up-to-date on your vaccines.