Shorter days and cooler evenings mean that Fall has arrived. This is often the time that we start seeing people sick with the flu. Most adults get sick once or twice a season, but if you have children around the house, it’s even worse. Here is a simple prevention from the flu and keep everyone else in your family healthy when one person is sick.
Wash your hand the right way
Wash your hands with warm water, use soap and rub your hands together for as long as it takes to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice.
Avoid touching your nose or face
Most viruses are passed by contact with mucus fluids, so keep your hands away from your mouth, nose, and face. Especially after contact with a sick person.
Change toothbrush
Change toothbrush often – usually every 3 months. However, if you or any family member is sick, it is best to dispose your toothbrush immediately, or the sick person could become reinfected. Keep toothbrush apart to avoid cross contamination.
Quarantine
If possible, isolate the sick person. Try to sleep in a different bedroom, or have other siblings avoid your sick child’s room. If you can’t do that, sleep with your back to the sick person.
Sanitize Common Areas
Did you know the most common type of cold virus, the rhinovirus, can live on inanimate objects such as telephones, and stair railings for several hours, maybe even a few days? Using a disinfectant, sanitize areas that many people in your family touch: telephones, remote controls, computer keyboards, door knobs, etc.
Do not share
Obviously you don’t want to share food or drink with a sick person. Consider color coding or name tagging for the duration of the sickness. This is a good idea for hand and bath towels. Be sure to wash everything more often during flu season.
Work on your immune system
Good nutrition meal, exercising, and getting enough sleep will boost your immune system and help fight off the virus.
Flu is no laughing matter, it kills over 36,000 Americans every year!
Passion NYC 