Watch out for ‘festival flu’ as music festival season begins. How to prevent it

After an abbreviated music festival season in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, flocks of crowds are set to gather at some of the largest festivals in the United States.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival begins on Friday, April 15, after sitting out the previous two years. More than 125,000 people are expected during both weekends of the festival, Billboard reported, and many are likely to return home with flu-like symptoms.

Here’s what to know about “festival flu” as music festival season is beginning in full force.

What is festival flu?

Festival flu, as it’s commonly called, refers to the post-festival illness many come away with after a weekend of congregating in a group with tens of thousands of people.

“It’s usually not a specific illness but a combination of lack of sleep, lack of nutrition, screaming, shouting and dehydration,” said Dr. Jamie Rutland, M.D., a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician and Lung Association spokesperson.

Sometimes it is the flu, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The group says the flu can easily spread at mass gatherings, such as festivals.

“It feels like fun at the time, but hours of walking, dancing, standing, drinking and nights of very little sleep can take its toll on your physical and mental wellbeing, not to mention the disappointment of having to return to the mediocrity of normal life,” the Evening Standard reported.

What are symptoms of festival flu?

Often, symptoms of festival flu are similar to that of the common cold, according to the American Lung Association. Those symptoms can include a runny nose, cough, scratchy throat and sneezing.

Symptoms can last for a few days after the festival and sometimes for a week, the Desert Sun reported.

Dr. Ranjeet Minocha, an allergist with the Eisenhower Allergy and Immunology Clinic, told the Desert Sun people with allergies or asthma should “be on top of taking your medications and aggressively treating your symptoms before it snowballs.”

How can you prevent festival flu?

You can practice common health protocols at festivals, including keeping your distance from others and covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, the CDC said.

The CDC also encourages people not to touch surfaces that are used and shared often and to limit physical actions with others, such as shaking hands and high-fiving. If you do, be sure to wash your hands or apply hand sanitizer afterward.

Wearing a mask certainly won’t hurt, either.

It’s also important to keep caffeine and alcohol intake to a minimum. Too much can lead to dehydration, which could cause the “lining of your nose and throat” to dry out, the American Lung Association said.

Music blog EDM Maniac says festival-goers could take immunity-boosting supplements before the festival, such as Emergen-C. Preparing your body by sleeping, relaxing and eating healthy before the festival are also suggestions.

How can you recover after a music festival?

“Continue that pre-festival self-care after the festival ends as well. If you are able to, take the Monday off to recover and give your body a full day of rest before returning to normal daily activities,” EDM Maniac said. “If you must be back at work bright and early Monday morning, find time in between to take care of yourself.”

Staying hydrated can also be beneficial, as it can “energize your tired muscles, flush out toxins,” the Evening Standard said.

Medications such as lozenges, Mucinex and Sudafed can also help relieve some festival flu symptoms, Minocha told the Desert Sun.

This story was originally published April 15, 2022 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Watch out for ‘festival flu’ as music festival season begins. How to prevent it."