The worldwide flu news headlines on the
outbreak of the new virus But what exactly is it that we at home can do to
prevent the spread of the flu virus? Knock on wood, we haven't been hit by the flu virus this year. We are trying to stay healthy. Not getting sick can be frugal because we don't have doctor visits co-pays or prescription or over the counter medication costs.
There's No Place Like
Home
There is no safer place than your own home to
avoid being infected with the flu virus, And once we're there, the better we
know how to keep a virus from spreading in our home, the safer our home inside
will be.
This is especially important for Moms and Dads
because as we know, the flu hits younger kids harder because they haven't built up many immunities. It helps to
remember the reason why we usually get colds and flu this time of year. Not
because of the weather - but because we're all stuck with each other indoors.
These viruses can survive up to three hours on skin and
inanimate objects. That means when your kids classmates hacks away without covering his mouth at school your son or daughter has opportunity to come in contact with his their
.and to bring them home alive.Additionally, sometimes people may become
infected by touching something with viruses on it and then touching his nose or
mouth.
While we can't do much about the spread
of the flu there are simple but effective things we can do inside our home: My medical insurance Aenta sent over these tips
1 Wash Your Hands. And make your kids wash their hands. . Avoid
the anti-bacterial soaps that may actually cause more viruses in the long run
by making germs resistant. Unless kids' hands are visibly dirty, encourage them
to use the alcohol-based cleansers that clean without water. These cleansers
kill germs by dehydration. You can buy small bottles and pack them in your
kids' backpacks for use at school. If they need soap and water, they must scrub
vigorously for at least 30 seconds to kill germs. (
2 Teach kids to sneeze or cough into a
tissue and then throw the tissue away. And then wash their hands again!
3 Get a Flu Shot. If flu shots are available, make sure everyone
in your family who is old enough gets one.
4 Don't Share. Tell you kids not to drink after other kids from the same cup or
share food. . Use paper cups in the bathroom
5 Disinfect Your Home. What's the most germ-laden room of your house?
. It's the kitchen -- especially the sink area. And the worst germ-breeding
object in your house? The kitchen sponge or dishrag. The moistness in sponges
creates an ideal growing environment for these nasty little creatures.
Disinfect sponges periodically by wetting them and popping them into the
microwave for two minutes; replace them at least once a week. Change dishrags
daily.
6 Clean surfaces that may harbor germs
with a good virus-killing disinfectant, such as Clorox or Lysol. Daily clean all doorknobs, faucets, counter tops, computer keyboards, telephones,
remote controls and any other frequently
touched surface.
7 Take Care of Mom. Cold germs are around all the time. Usually, healthy,
well-nourished, well-rested people can fend off many germs. And if you do get
sick, good health usually helps you recover faster. So make sure you get at least eight hours of sleep, eats healthy meals (lots of fruit and vegetables)
and exercises daily. All the good stuff you should be doing, anyway!
8 Keep the Flu at Home. If you or your child is running a temperature,
stay home! Do not go out and infect others. And if you have younger kids, think
twice before sending them to indoor playgrounds or playspaces where toddlers and preschoolers may have been drooling over the toys .. Try to
avoid people who have been sick. Adults are contagious up to seven days after
experiencing symptoms. And kids are contagious longer than that. Mom and Dads may want to consider talking to their boss about working from home.
9 If you do get the flu, start
antiviral prescription medications right away. If you take these drugs within the first 48
hours of symptoms, they can lessen the severity. Otherwise, all you can do is
drink a lot of water and try to sleep
through it. If your symptoms are severe - and particularly if you have
difficulty breathing - see a doctor.
