Helping You Stay Healthy
BY ST. LUKE’S WOOD RIVER
As it turns chilly and winter weather approaches, it is also cold and flu season. There are simple precautions that we can all do to help stay healthy and enjoy winter activities and the holidays. Regular handwashing, particularly before and after certain activities, is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. Whether you are traveling, at work or at home, proper hand hygiene can protect you, your family and others. Handwashing with soap removes germs from hands. This helps prevent infections because:
• People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick.
• Germs from unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while people prepare or consume them. Germs can multiply in some types of foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick.
• Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like handrails, table tops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.
• Removing germs through handwashing therefore helps prevent diarrhea and respiratory infections and may even help prevent skin and eye infections.
Here’s the proper handwashing technique:
• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them. Germs are transferred more easily to and from wet hands.
If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
Remember to get your flu vaccine to help you stay healthy through the season! Flu vaccination can reduce flu illness, doctors’ visits and missed work and school due to the flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. If you need help finding a doctor, call St. Luke’s Center for Community Health at (208) 727-8733 or visit stlukesonline.org.
It’s your life.
We help you live it.