Here’s what to do, according to Dr. Neil Schachter, director of the respiratory department at Mount Sinai Hospital:

• First: Hum a tune. The vibrations will loosen mucus in your airways, so you can cough it up, or blow it out into a tissue.

• Also, try an elderberry supplement. Which can reduce congestion and shorten the length of a cold or the flu.

• And if your symptoms are really bad and hit suddenly, get an anti-viral from your doctor, like Tamiflu. It can relieve symptoms and shorten your illness.

• Finally, if you haven’t gotten sick yet – take a zinc supplement. Research shows it can protect you from a cold. And if you DO get sick, one or two lozenges a day can cut the length of your cold. But don’t overdo it… Because too much zinc can cause a permanent loss-of-smell in some people.