| Health Alert from
parish nurse Dorothy Howard |
 Flu
season will be upon us before long, so I am going to pass along a
few easy to follow, but important, tips on how to protect yourselves
and your families. |
1) Good hand washing is uppermost. Most
transfers of infections are via the hands. Just think about how many
surfaces, animate and inanimate, our hands come in contact with on an
hourly basis. Obviously, it's impossible to wash them every single
minute, including hand sanitizers so;
a) Keep your hands away from your face--in
particular the mouth. Hands should always be washed prior to eating,
and after using the bathroom.
b) If you have a cold or flu, Kleenex
tissues should be used once and then discarded after blowing the nose
or coughing—do not put in pocket or purse and reuse—remember the hand
contact and all the items that come in contact with the Kleenex.
Gentlemen and ladies absolutely no cloth hankies or handkerchiefs
allowed.
c) Cover the mouth when coughing. Again
the tissue would be best, but most of us use our hands. Just try to
keep said hand under wraps (don't shake another's hand) until it can
be cleansed.
2) As much as we care about our loved ones
and children, mouth kissing is a surefire way to pass along upper
respiratory infections as well as sharing food, sodas, fast food, etc.
3) If you are ill, don't go to work. You
won't be as productive as when you are well and your fellow employees
win not appreciate your presence. When your health returns, be good to
your body—eat well and get plenty of rest and limit your level of stress
until your normal pace can be resumed.
4) Everyone 65 and older should have a flu
shot. Hopefully there will not be restrictions this year. If there is
plenty of flu vaccine then everyone should get the vaccine unless there
is a history of an anaphylactic (life threatening) reaction to eggs.
I truly believe the body is a temple and
that God has blest us with such a gift to be cherished and cared for for
all mankind. All our prayers are needed for those not as fortunate as
we.
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