Hand Washing,
Not Touching Your Face,
Staying Home If Ill Among Ways To Keep H1N1 Flu At Bay
Every Ontario resident has the opportunity to receive a
free flu shot this year before the start of the winter flu season.
Call 1-855-358-6968 to find out where to get flu
shots in your Ontario Canada community?
Warning... 24 Hour Flu is
Prevalent in Eastern Ontario (Click
Here to see the symptoms)
A few
preventive measures on not getting H1N1
Dr.. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid
specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has
worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital ,Bombay
Hospital ,Saifee
Hospital ,Tata
Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading ourNuclear
Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac
and Critical Centre, Malad (W).
The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense
and is important for all to know
The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In
a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to
avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions.
Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation
is.
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1
infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of
symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very
simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official
communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to
stock N95 or Tamiflu):
1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official
communications) .
2. "Hands-off-the- face" approach. Resist all temptations
to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or
slap).
3.*Gargle twice
a day withwarm
salt water
(use Listerine if you don't trust salt).
*H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal
cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms.
Simple
gargling prevents proliferation. In a way,gargling
with salt
water has the same effect on a healthy individual that
Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this
simple,
inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once
every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may
be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very goodYoga asanas
to cleannasal
cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a
day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped
in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral
population.*
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in
Vitamin C(Amla and
other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C
tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can.
*Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in
the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from
the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive,
proliferate or do any harm.
I suggest you pass this page onto your entire e-list. You never
knowwho
might pay attention to it - andSTAY
ALIVE
because of it.
Symptoms include fever of more than 37.8 C
(100 degrees F),
body aches, coughing, sore throat, respiratory congestion
and, in some cases, diarrhea and vomiting.
So you think you have either the flu or a cold.
Now what should you do?
The World Health Organization calls Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome,
or SARS, a new communicable disease that is a global health threat.
Taking Care of People with Acute Respiratory Illness
at Home
It is important for family to remain healthy while providing
care to those ill with “colds,”
influenza-like-illnesses and any other acute respiratory
illness. Care providers should follow
these simple steps:
Frequently wash your hands with soap and water, or an
alcohol-based hand rub.
You should always clean your hands before
and after caring for an ill family member,
and after touching possibly contaminated
objects or surfaces (eg. used tissues).
Keep surfaces clean around those who are ill. There is no
need to sterilize your
home or articles that the ill family member
has used (eating and drinking utensils,
frequently touched surfaces). A regular household
cleaner is sufficient.
Dispose of soiled tissues into the green bin or garbage.
Don’t leave soiled tissues
lying around the home to contaminate other
surfaces or be picked up by toddlers
in the home.
Don’t
share any objects that may touch the mouth or nose of the
ill person — this
includes, for instance, drinking glasses, eating
utensils, toothbrushes, face cloths
and towels.
If
possible, have the ill person stay in a different room than
other people. When in
the same room, the sick person should stay 6 feet
away from others as much as
possible. If the ill person can wear a mask when
other people are less than 6 feet
away, this will also help to prevent spread.
Get enough rest. Caregivers must also get enough sleep and
have their bodies
rested and refreshed each day.
Follow
Canada’s Food and Nutrition guide. Getting the necessary
vitamins and the
right balance of nutrients helps immune systems
perform at peak levels.
Health Canada Public Information
(for General Information about SARS)
1- 800- 454-8302
Ontario Health InfoLine
(for General Inquiries about SARS)
1- 888- 668-4636
SARS FACTS
The virus that is causing SARS
is similar to that of the common cold except that it is a version
that has mutated into a more dangerous form.
Scientists have confirmed the genomes of two different strains of the virus thought to be responsible for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
SARS kills one in five of those
admitted to a hospital.
If you have the symptoms
similar to those of SARS or come in contact with someone who has
these symptoms, you should isolate yourself from society for at
least 10 days.
How Contagious Is SARS?
Based on currently available evidence, close contact with an infected person is needed for the infective agent to spread from one person to another. Contact with aerosolized (exhaled) droplets and bodily secretions from an infected person appears to be important… the amount of the infective agent needed to cause an infection has not yet been determined.
The SARS virus can survive up to 24 hours on any surface and up to four days in human waste. It can also survive freezing temperatures and treatment with a detergent commonly used to sterilize contaminated areas
First of all the best way to protect yourself against colds and the flu is to
wear gloves
in public places during the flu and cold season.
Second, if you have touched surfaces that people who are infected by colds or the flu -
wash your hands immediately. If you cannot do this conveniently; do not touch any area of
your body like your nose or mouth
that allows bacteria or viruses to enter your body.
Washing Hands
with soap and water
Turn on taps and wet hands with tepid running water of 43 degrees C or 110 degrees Fahrenheit
Apply soap
Rub hands together, by palm to palm, by interlaced fingers, by back of each hand with palm of other hand, by each thumb clasped in the opposite hand and by each wrist clasped in the opposite hand. Each part of your hand should be washed for a minimum of 20 seconds - you should be able to sing Happy Birthday twice before you finish washing
Rinse hands thoroughly under tepid running water
Dry hands thoroughly with paper towel
Turn off taps with paper towels ensuring
you clean contact with the soiled handles and then discard the paper towel
When should you wash?
Although it's impossible to keep your bare hands germ-free, there are times when it's critical to wash your hands.
Always wash:
Before eating
After using the bathroom
After changing diapers — wash your child's hands too
Before and after handling raw meat, poultry or fish
After touching animals
After handling money
After blowing your nose
After coughing or sneezing on your hands
Before and after treating wounds or cuts
Before and after touching a sick or injured person
After handling garbage
Wash Your Hands with Alcoholic
Based Hand Sanitizer
Perhaps this is
better or more convenient to do in many instants because
there are lots of times when washing with soap and water is near
impossible.
I usually keep a little bottle of alcoholic based hand sanitizer
in my car and
clean both my hands and my face around my mouth and nose every
time I
get back into my car.
Or carry a little
bottle in your purse and when you get a chance, just put
a few drops on your hands and rub your hands together to clean
your hands.
After
going to the grocery store and handling the shopping carts
After
school, during school hours and when changing classrooms
After
being in any public meeting place
Before
and after eating at a restaurant or lunchroom
When
flying in an airplane
After touching animals
After handling money
After blowing your nose
After coughing or sneezing on your hands
Before and after treating wounds or cuts
Before and after touching
or being in contact with a sick or injured person
After handling garbage
Did you know that: Only 40 per cent of
Canadian health-care workers properly wash their hands.
Next time you are in the emergency ward or at a doctor's office
take note of what is happening... and ask the doctor or
supervisor in charge what is their hand washing policy.
See
Ottawa Targets Hospital Superbugs
How long does cold viruses live on
surfaces? ( presently this is the most asked question)
According to Dr. Rui Xiong who
is a viral research specialist in Canada
" The
so-called common cold usually can be caused by more than 200
kinds of viruses ( may generally called as flu viruses
since they all produce flu-like symptoms) and the commonest one
is Rhinovirus (around 50%), interestingly, they are often
transmitted through direct contact rather than through airway;
for example, through
handkerchief
( survivable for 1hr ), palm ( for 70hrs ) or
public solid surfaces ( for 72hrs ).
Once an individual is infected with the virus, whether he or she
will have the symptoms of common cold including its severity
is very often depend on each individual's immunity. Funny
enough, sometimes it is a bit difficult to discriminate the
terms of common cold and flu.
Common cold is more colloquial
while flu is more academic, however, in my impression, the
former could refer to the "flu" caused by rhinovirus-like while
the flu that medical doctors refer to may often be caused by
influenza a,b,c types which might be endemic or pandemic and
life-threatening. That is why it has such a clinical
significance. In contrast, common cold usually is sporadic and
even self-limited/need mainly supportive therapy. Mines could
not be totally right. I found a good website for you to refer
to. CDC -
Influenza (Flu). Also. WHO's
website is also good one to look at."
Microbes
can live on household surfaces for hundreds of years. The good
news, however, is that most don't. Some well-known viruses, like
HIV, live only a few seconds.
Microbes,
of course, are everywhere. Each square centimeter of skin alone
harbors about 100,000 bacteria. And a single sneeze can spray
droplets infested with bacteria and viruses as far as 3 feet.
The microbial life span depends on many factors, says Philip
Tierno, director of microbiology and diagnostic immunology at
the New York University School of Medicine. Because viruses must
invade cells of a living host to reproduce, their life spans
outside are generally shorter than that of bacteria, which
reproduce on their own. Although viruses can survive outside a
host on household surfaces, their ability to duplicate
themselves is compromised—shortening the virus's life span.
Humidity
also makes a difference; no bacteria or virus can live on dry
surfaces with a humidity of less than 10 percent. Any sort of
nutrients—food particles, skin cells, blood, mucus—helps
microbes thrive, which is why your kitchen sponge and dish
cloths are a excellent breeding
ground. I have heard that if you take your kitchen sponge and
subject it to your microwave on high for two minutes - 90
percent of the bacteria are killed.
Third, if you spray the surfaces in your bathroom and
kitchen with a mild solution of bleach (about a 2-5% solution with water) where there might
be viruses; it likely will kill any virus and bacteria that might be on that
surface.
Fourth, if you feel that a cold is
coming on (runny nose and out of sorts feeling) immediately take about
1000 mg of Vitamin C + Echinacea and drink lots of water
- it
works.
Dealing with Colds: (A few
more great hints and info)
Just say no to drugs. When it comes to colds, any medicine is worse than none at all. Cold symptoms are caused by your own defenses, not the virus's. They're things your immune system does to cripple the intruders. Drugs that suppress your symptoms only stop your natural defenses.
If you must use drugs, use single-symptom, generic drugs -- so says the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). Cold symptoms tend to appear in sequence, not all at once. So multi-symptom formulas often give you too much or not enough medicine for any given symptom. Avoid time-release capsules for the same reason. And the generic part? Cheaper. Everything you can get in a fancy bottle comes in a generic form too. It's the same medicine. Ask your pharmacist.
Gargle with warm salt water if you have a sore throat. This hastens the healing process. In the meantime, suck hard candies. (But beware: A sore throat can be a symptom of an illness worse than a cold.)
Gargle with a warm salt water
even if you don't have a sore throat. I helps prevent germs and viruses
that have been stuck to your tongue and mouth overnight to be
killed. Follow this with an antiseptic mouth wash. For people
who have a reduced immune system, both these things work in preventing
either a cold or virus.
Drink 8 ounces of hot liquid every two hours. Cold liquids can contribute to congestion.
Increase the humidity around you. Viruses thrive in cool, dry environments. That's why your immune system floods your nose with warm, wet gush.
Use a cool cloth to control the discomfort of fever. (And remember that very high fevers can be dangerous.)
Inhale warm vapors to ease nasal congestion. You can just hold your face over a bowl of hot water and breathe.
Elevate your head at night to keep your head clear.
Cough and cough and cough. Especially if it produces phlegm.
Avoid contact with cold germs. After all, the best offense is a good defense. During cold season, frequently disinfect doorknobs and common objects around your house with a disinfectant spray. (a
2-5 % solution of bleach and water will do the trick in a spray bottle)
Wash your hands frequently. You can easily catch a cold if you have viruses on your hands and then touch your nose or eyes. Don't use cloth hankies; use paper tissues
instead and dispose of them immediately after use.
Your own body causes cold symptoms. Once you've been infected with a cold virus, your capillaries swell to bring more blood to your nose, because blood is what gets the troops of the immune system to the battlefield. That's congestion. White blood cells come rushing to the site and try to engulf-and-digest or, as we humans put it, "eat" the viruses. That's inflammation. Your temperature rises because viruses can't thrive where it's too hot. That's fever. Your nose cells release histamines, which create mucus that traps the viruses before they can attach to your cells. That's your runny nose.
If your chest is congested, put a heating pad on your
chest and relax.
Here is what health officials say to do if you have
been quarantined to your home:
Ensure that you remain at home for 10 days after your last exposure. This means that you should not leave your house, nor should anyone visit you at home. If
you need groceries, have a friend bring them to your door.
During this 10-day period, wear a mask when you are in the same room with another member of your household. You should change your mask twice each day. The type of mask to purchase is an N95 mask. It is designed to prevent respiratory exposure to TB and other high-risk biological agents.
Sleep in separate rooms if possible.
Do not share personal items, such as towels, drinking cups or cutlery.
Wash your hands frequently, especially after sneezing or coughing.
Everyone in the household should measure their temperature with their own thermometer twice a day over the 10-day period.
If anyone in the household develops fever (over 38 C), respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing) or headache, or is feeling unwell, call Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600.
People who share a household with someone in quarantine may go to work or school, but must wear a mask at home. Should anyone in the household show signs of becoming ill, the entire household must be quarantined.
Here are a few links that might help...We offer no editorial comment nor
take responsibility for the accuracy of the information given.
Flu Alert ~ Find
out if the flu has evaded your city in Eastern and Southern Ontario.
Cold and Flu
Remedies ~ Winter is a time for turning inward, toward home, family, and self. If we
listen, we are aware of a directive to slow down and refocus. That makes the next few
months an ideal time to explore ways to prevent and treat illness, especially the colds
and flu that plague our winter days...
Treating Common Cold and Flu with Common Sense ~ "You dont
catch a cold, you make it," Dr. Bernard Jensen strongly pronounced during one of the
Iridology classes I attended. "This time he went too far" I was pondering. Then,
as a novice to the holistic approach of healing, his statement seemed not only
revolutionary to me, but just plain wrong. My heart beat was raising. "How can he
possibly believe in this???!!!" I continued my chain of thoughts. "A flu ...
Symptoms of the virus are "pretty intense,"
the virus is not known to be fatal. After symptoms abate in 24 to 48 hours,
people usually remain infectious for up to 72 hours.
Wash your hands. And if you're sick,
stay home!
Introduction: You may not have heard of Norwalk virus, but your child has probably had it or will have it. It is not a flu virus, but when people speak of the “tummy flu,” they are often referring to a Norwalk virus infection.
Now it is becoming known as
the "Cruise Ship" virus because it was the cause of many of the
passengers and crews coming down with this virus during the end of
2002.
It was recently confirmed that Norwalk
can be spread through air, not just through a fecal-oral route, as previously thought
What is it?
Norwalk virus was first identified as the cause of an outbreak of gastroenteritis among children at a school in Norwalk, Ohio – and among their teachers and their families.
Norwalk virus is a significant cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks in schools, day-cares, summer camps,
hospitals, restaurants, and cruise ships.
It is also a significant cause of gastroenteritis in the absence of an outbreak.
In addition, Norwalk virus is a significant cause of food poisoning.
Who gets it?
Anyone can get Norwalk virus, from the nursery to the nursing home, but those at highest risk are children under 4.
Outbreaks often occur in settings where there is close contact between many children. The virus is found in stool and on hands and surfaces that have had contact with stool.
Norwalk food poisoning has most often been associated with contaminated ice, water, raw shellfish, salads, sandwiches, and cookies.
The virus is destroyed by cooking, but not by freezing
What are the symptoms?
Diarrhea and vomiting are the hallmark symptoms of Norwalk virus infection. These may be accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, abdominal cramps, and generally feeling crummy.
Is it contagious?
Norwalk virus is quite contagious, and may be spread via the fecal-oral route, through direct
contact, through infected fomites, or through contaminated food or water.
How long does it last?
Symptoms usually begin 12 hours to 4 days after having been exposed. The illness may last for as little as a day, or as long as 2 weeks.
How is it diagnosed?
The diagnosis is usually based on history and physical examination. Stool tests are available that can detect the virus.
How is it treated?
Usually, the only treatment is to prevent or treat dehydration.
Antibiotics usually make the situation worse.
How can it be prevented?
Wash hands before preparing or serving foods. Have someone else prepare the food if you have cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, or have sores on your hands.
Children, and those who care for them, should wash their hands for at
least 15 seconds thoroughly before eating and after toileting.