How You Can Help Stop Germs in Their Tracks
In our last blog, we talked about flu prevention and treatment. Many of our community members have already been battling both flu and gastrointestinal viruses — ‘tis the season! But we want as many of you as possible to stay healthy. With the extreme prevalence of flu in our area this winter, we thought some additional tips and tricks to prevent the spread of germs would be helpful. Keep these suggestions in mind when you are out and about this winter.
Cover That Cough!
If you or any of your family members develop a cough this winter, cough smart. What does that mean? It means cough into a tissue instead of your hands and dispose of the tissue in the trash when coughing subsides. Don’t have a tissue handy? Try coughing (and sneezing) into your elbow/sleeve instead of your hands. Depositing germs directly on your hands almost always ensures they will spread. Just think about how many things we touch each day!
Wash Hands Frequently — the Right Way
The most important thing to do to stop the spread of germs is wash your hands and wash them often. If you worry about dry skin, keep a container of good hand lotion nearby to prevent dry, cracked skin.
Now did you know there are right and wrong ways to wash your hands? There are! Running some water over your hands isn’t enough. Slathering just a little soap on and rinsing isn’t going to cut it. Here are the steps for proper handwashing technique according to the CDC:
- Wetyour hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
- Latheryour hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrubyour hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice. Really scrub!
- Rinseyour hands well under clean, running water, with your fingertips pointing down toward the drain.
- Dryyour hands using a clean towel or air dry them. Go a step further and use that paper towel to open the door before exiting.
What About Hand Sanitizer?
Hand sanitizers that are 60+% alcohol are better than nothing when you don’t have access to a sink with soap. However, hand sanitizers do not kill all types of germs and they cannot remove harmful chemicals from your skin. Keep them around as a backup but be sure to wash whenever possible.
Wear a Mask
If you are contagious and must go out in public, such as to a doctor’s office or pharmacy, wear a mask. This prevents your germs from floating over to the folks near you.
We continue to wish you all health and happiness in 2020!
Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department (OWL VFD) is one of the largest and busiest volunteer fire departments in the United States, with almost 300 members. OWL VFD provides fire suppression, EMS care and rescue services to 80,000 residents in our 27-square-mile area through the operation of three fire stations. OWL volunteer firefighters and EMT’s work the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift, five days a week, plus 24/7 holidays and weekends. For more information on OWL VFD, become a fan on our Facebook page here.