For many people, December and January is the most social time of the year, with Christmas gatherings, end-of-year parties and long overdue catch-ups all happening at once.
And when there's a lot of mixing with other people, there's always the risk of an infectious bug spreading.
Gastroenteritis - better known as "gastro" - can get around, meaning bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea.
And respiratory illnesses like the flu, COVID-19 and common colds can bring runny noses, coughs and sore throats to the table.
The days of self-isolation and COVID restrictions are gone, so now we have to rely on people doing the right thing when it comes to preventing the spread of illness.
Here's a common sense guide to keeping yourself and your loved ones safe this festive season.
Communicate with your guests
"This is the holiday season, enjoy your holidays with your loved ones," University of New South Wales School of Clinical Medicine's Associate Professor Nusrat Homaira says.
"Infections are part of our lives, we have to be mindful of how they are transmitted."
Associate Professor Homaira points out that the risks of serious health consequences of diseases aren't the same for everyone.
"Certain groups of people are at higher risk — elderly family members, pregnant women and younger children," she says.
So if there's someone in the household who has been unwell, make sure your guests about it.
"If you have those high-risk people, let them know what it's what happening so they're aware," Associate Professor Homaira says.
"They may choose not to attend.
"They may choose to wear masks.
"When people are informed, they can make informed decisions."
Reassure loved ones
Some family members might feel obliged to attend a gathering when they're either not well or want to avoid potential infections.
So if you're hosting a party, make it clear that you won't be offended if they politely decline.
"If they’re unwell, reassure them to look after themselves," Royal Australian College of General Practitioners vice-president Ramya Raman says.
Come up with other options like video calls or dropping off containers of food so they still feel loved and included, but are safe from infections.
Take it outside
Where you can, try to have a lot of airflow at your gatherings because respiratory illnesses spread via tiny droplets from coughs, sneezes and on the breath of infectious people.
And if you're in an enclosed space, those droplets are more likely to linger rather than dispersing.
"The risk is much lower if you're outdoors," Associate Professor Homaira says.
"If it's windy, the droplets are blown away."
So if you can host the event outside or under a verandah, that's a great way to lower the risk of transmitting diseases.
Otherwise, keep the windows and doors open to let in fresh air.
Put out sanitiser
"Have some hand sanitiser about the place," Dr Raman says.
And think about how you're serving food.
If you're having a buffet or share plates, Dr Raman recommends having plenty of tongs or utensils so people aren't touching food with their hands.
Make sure you're regularly wiping down frequently touched surfaces.
And keep an eye on the little ones.
"With young kids, make sure they wash their hands before touching food," Dr Raman says.
How do you know when to stay home?
"It is a hard call," Dr Raman says.
"It’s actually really important we look after ourselves when we're not well.
"Infectious conditions will spread if we don't take precautions."
She says COVID cases should have a week of isolation.
And she says that people should be particularly wary when they have fevers, runny noses, muscle pains and sore throats.
How long does gastro last?
A few days, Health Direct, a government-funded national health advice service, says.
Vomiting usually lasts for one or two days.
Diarrhoea generally goes for between one and three days, but Health Direct says it can linger for 10 days.
How long are you infectious with gastro for?
"Cases should be considered infectious until at least 24 to 48 hours after diarrhoea has ceased," a Victorian Health Department fact sheet says.
How long does COVID last?
"Most people recover from COVID-19 after a few days or weeks," Health Direct says.
How long are you infectious with COVID for?
"You are generally considered infectious from 48 hours before your symptoms started or from testing positive if you have no symptoms," Health Direct says.
"You may still be infectious for as long as you have symptoms, like fever, cough, shortness of breath, runny nose and sore throat.
"This may last for up to 10 days."
Associate Professor Homaira says you're most likely to be infectious in the first week.
Some people can get drawn out coughs that linger after all the other symptoms are gone.
Make sure you're always covering your coughs by coughing into your elbow or a tissue you throw away immediately.
