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Our weekly news column bringing the most current, non-biased health
information to the consumer. |
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October 28, 2008 |
A Publication of QVHD |
Preventing the Spread of Germs, Please!
By: V. Deborah Culligan, RN, MPH,
Deputy Director QVHD
There is a single personal
action that all people can take to reduce their chances of getting sick
from a communicable disease and to help prevent the spread of
communicable disease to others. As simple as it may seem, this action is
hand washing.
Around the turn of the century, it was recognized that fewer persons
died from medical procedures if the doctors washed their hands in
between patients. Throughout the years, studies have continued to
document the importance of hand washing and its relationship to certain
illnesses. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has identified five
common household scenarios through which germs can be transmitted by
contaminated hands. They are: hands to food to mouth; infected infant
(diapers) to hands to other children; food to hands to food; nose, mouth
or eyes to hands through objects to others; and foods to hands to
infants. Number 4 is particularly important to note. You should always
try to cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and properly dispose
of this tissue . If a tissue is not available, you should cough or
sneeze into your sleeve. This will help to stop the germs from becoming
airborne. While a very simple action, the impact can be very profound!
(You need to teach your children this as well.) Ideally, following a
sneeze or cough, you should wash your hands with soap and water or an
alcohol-based hand wash, known as hand-sanitizers.
For hand washing to be effective, you should include the use of soap and
water, friction for at least 20 seconds (rubbing together), followed by
a thorough rinsing and drying. Most soaps are effective for reducing
bacteria on the hands. (You don't need an antibacterial soap to
accomplish the task.) While washing with soap and water is always the
first choice, in the absence of soap and water, alcohol-based hand
sanitizers are effective for eliminating germs from the skin. You need
to thoroughly rub the hands together after application of the product
until it is all worked into the skin. Remember to cover all the surfaces
of the hand including the fingers and in between the fingers. These
products do reduce microorganism populations on the hands, but they do
not remove dirt. Therefore, if hands are visibly dirty, these products
should not be used.
There are other actions you can take to help protect yourself and others
from illness this flu season. If you (or your children) are sick, please
stay home. Germs spread through schools and workplaces like wildfire!
Secondly, avoid sharing objects like eating utensils, drinking glasses,
towels, phones, pens, pencils or other personal objects that can become
vehicles of germ spread. If you are sick, do not visit nursing homes,
hospitals, the elderly, families with infants or other immunocompromised
persons. If the kids are sick, don't have them visit Grandma and Grandpa
until they are better! While a missed visit may be disappointing, it is
better than bringing unwanted “visitors” (cold and flu germs) into the
home. If you would like written information and activities children on
hand washing, District residents can call QVHD, 248-4528 or request on
line, www.qvhd.org.
| An Ounce of Prevention is a
publication of the Quinnipiack Valley Health District, located at
1151 Hartford Turnpike, North Haven, CT 06473. Telephone:
248-4528. An Ounce of Prevention is
written by V. Deborah Culligan. The articles are published in the following local newspapers, The Advisor &
Beth-Wood News.
The content is provided as health education and
information to help you make health decisions. It is not intended to
be legal or medical advice, or substitute for recommendations made
by your health care provider. Address all comments to the district
office. |
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