Hello everyone! We hope
everyone will come down to our next Pathfinder Produce market at the Village
Commons this Thursday, February 8. Our
friendly staff will be showcasing a great variety of fruits and veggies … the “little
market that could” is your place for the freshest tastes around!
Kudos go out to our Otsego Academy students, who will be doing
their part to support the American Heart Association this Saturday, Feb. 10, by
participating in the Heart Walk at
FoxCare in Oneonta. The students are
looking forward to this indoor 3-mile walk, where they’ll be learning about
heart health, CPR, and other ways to lead healthy lives. If you’d like to sponsor our students go to their
Otsego
Academy Team Page !
More and more, we’re hearing news items about the H3N2 flu strain. Below, my colleague Martha Spiegel shares some tips to prevent getting sick.
***
Common
Sense Flu Precautions
The flu has hit
the country hard this year, and our area is no exception. Doctors are
reporting more than double the cases from last year, and it has been classified
as an epidemic.
Flu is a virus-caused respiratory disease that is typically mild and requires
no medical intervention. However, it can be more complicated for the very
young, very old, pregnant women, and people with respiratory conditions such as
asthma.
Here at Pathfinder Village, our entire staff
completes yearly training in Universal
Precautions, steps to take to prevent the spread of disease, and since flu
typically peaks in February, it seems like a good idea to share some of this
helpful information.
The best prevention against the flu is a vaccination.
However, the flu vaccine only prevents certain strains of flu, so it is still
important to protect yourself as well as others. Also, the flu can be
contagious a day before symptoms appear. Here’s what you can do:
- Wash your hands! It seems like a no-brainer, but it’s important to wash with plenty of soap, being diligent to clean between fingers as well as the fronts and backs of your hands, and to wash for at least 20 seconds. After drying, be sure to use a paper towel to turn off the faucet—remember, your unwashed hand turned it on.
- Cover your cough/sneeze. Use a tissue or napkin if possible. If not, sneeze into your sleeve, covering your mouth and nose with your elbow. (The best offense is a good defense! Don’t sneeze into your hands!)
- Clean up. The virus can be killed with bleach, hydrogen peroxide, soap, iodine-based antiseptics, and alcohol (such as hand sanitizer). Don’t forget to clean doorknobs, keyboards, and faucets. The flu virus can remain on a surface for up to 24 hours.
- If you are careing for a family member with the flu, keep your distance as much as you can. Wear a mask. Wear gloves if you are cleaning up dirty tissues, etc., and wash your hands immediately.
- Practice other good health habits. Getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of fluids and maintaining a healthy diet can all help keep you and your immune system strong.
All of this information and more is available
at www.cdc.gov/flu
. Until next time, stay well and fight those
germs!
Martha (and Lori)
