Mark your calendars: Time to fight off the flu!
The CDC has announced the week of December 8-14, 2008, as National Influenza Vaccination Week. That means the time is now to take precautions.
Here are some tips from Clorox and the national PTA:
· Get Vaccinated: Effectiveness varies from 70 percent to 90 percent. It is recommended for children 6 months through 18 years of age.
· Wash your hands frequently: Germs are the culprit in causing flu. Take time and thoroughly washing hands.
· Help Stock Up: More than 56 percent of teachers buy their own cleaning supplies. You can help by donating cleaning supplies, such as Clorox disinfecting wipes, to help your teacher stock the classroom and keep it clean.
· Take Five: Experts believe that up to 80 percent of infectious illnesses are spread by touch and students can touch up to 300 surfaces in just 30 minutes. Take 5 minutes to wipe down commonly touched surfaces in the classroom such as desks, pencil sharpeners and keyboards to help reduce the spread of germs
· Teach Healthy Habits: Remind kids to share wisely. It’s great to share items like books, toys and pencils, but not items like combs, brushes, hats, toothbrushes, tissues, whistles, cups and forks.
· Do the Elbow Cough: Cough into your elbow, not hands (where you’re more likely to spread germs through touch).
· ABCs of Sneezing: Keep tissues handy and teach kids how to blow their noses early – instead of doing the icky sleeve swipe. The key is tossing tissues in the trash right away to keep germs at bay.
· Sleep is Key – for parents and children, earlier bed times mean better performance the next day.
In order to encourage vigilance in fighting off germs, five readers will each win 2 canisters of Clorox wipes.
Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes are the quick and easy way to clean and disinfect anytime and anywhere.Pre-moistened with cleaners and disinfectants, these babies are great weapons in our fight against the plague (and other similar ailments).
To win, tell me your best tip for safeguarding against germs…and the worst flu-bug you’ve ever encountered! Deadline December 19.
Fun fact! Aly Walansky wrote this story just for you on December 2nd, 2008 |
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:40 am
Best tip: Wash hands often and don’t touch face (eyes, lips, nose) unless hands have been washed.
Luckily, I have never had the flu. However, DH got it really really bad one year and it scared us all.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:41 am
Use hand sanitizer multiple times daily.
I haven’t ever gotten a bad case of the flu, just a cold or five.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:55 am
When washing your hands with soap and water watch what you do with your hands afterwards. Turn off the water and open the BR door with a paper towel. Use hand wipes as often as possible and wipe off canister too.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I carry antibacterial wipes in my purse, for things like shopping cart handles and such!
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Besides hand washing I disinfect our bathrooms and hard surfaces twice a week with bleach or bleach wipes in order to keep germs at bay. I also wash our bed linens in hot water regularly. We only use white towels and wash rags so those can easily be bleached as well.
The worst flu bug I ever encountered ended up being an intestinal virus(rotavirus) when our youngest son was a year old. He originally had flu-like symptoms but we quickly found out it was much worse than the flu. Severe diarrhea and vomiting followed by high fever and us trying to combat dehydration. It lasted 2 weeks!! I can’t tell you the amount of disinfecting I did in those 2 weeks so our older son wouldn’t come down with it. It was hands-down the scariest situation we’ve ever faced as parents as of yet!
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
OMG
One year I had to cancel Thanksgiving I was soooooo sick, I could not lift my head off the pillow, I could not speak, if I tried to speak I couldn’t stop coughing. I tried industrial strength nose spray and it couldn’t break through the clog.
I use the Clorox wipes to clean the wee wee pad area, it is very important to keep that area as sanitary as possible.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
keep the places clean and uncluttered- if in doubt throw it out or wipe it down…
we have taught everyone wash wash wash,….even after blowing nose- go wash
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Best tip: handwashing. Sing happy birthday while washing to be sure you scrub long enough.
The worst flu of all is the stomach flu…especially as a mom! Nothing quite like throwing up with a screaming toddler wrapped around your leg while your four year old stands in the doorway trying to read you a book about monster trucks. Oh, the glamour.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Best tip? Don’t put money or credit/debit/gift cards in your mouth!
Money is one of the dirtiest things out there. And the same could be said about the cards too as they are in the same places money is. Everyone touches money. You don’t know where your cashier’s hands have really been or what they’ve touched. Especially when they’ve been at the register for the past 5 hours and have been handling everyone’s money. We see wet money, money with blood, money that is old and crumpled and covered in pocket lint.
And wash your hands after handling money! First thing I do after a long day of being on a register is wash my hands and you wouldn’t believe the amount of dirt I can SEE being washed off my hands.
I’ve never had the flu but I have had a pretty bad case of strep throat before. I was 15 and my dad refused to believe that I was so sick to take me to the doctor. I had white stuff in my throat and was sleeping through classes, but my teachers could see how sick I was and let me sleep. I came home from school one day and collapsed at the front door and was dry heaving right there. My mom (Who I didn’t live with) picked me up that day and rushed me to the ER when I started throwing up. She said when you have strep and you’re throwing up, it means it’s starting to spread. Don’t know if that’s true though and sorry this is so long. =)
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:18 pm
WAIT!!! My tip: Some bacteria is GOOD bacteria! Be clean, yes… but be educated. Don’t spend all day making sure your home is free of all bacteria. If you don’t expose your children to certain germs when they are small, their bodies will not recognize them when they get older. This leads to allergies. Histamine is the agent your body releases when it encounters a foreign object. If certain objects, like flowers, dander, dirt, dust or others are not familiar to your body, then your body will attack them and cause you to have an alleric reaction (aka. the histamines send your body into fight mode). Stay clean and tidy, yes… but don’t be crazy about it! You will do more harm than good.
Flu bug? Hmmm… well, I remember once my second son and I got the flu. We were both incapacitated for the most part. Fortunately, my oldest son didn’t get it… but he was only three, so I had to try and nurse myself, a one-year-old back to health while trying to keep another from getting sick! Ugh!
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:16 pm
As a retired teacher I understand that washing hands often helps stem the spread of germs in the classroom and everywhere else. Hand sanitizer is a good idea, too.
Never had the flu but cared for loved ones who did. Nasty disease.
Thanks for the contest. Best wishes for happy holidays!
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I’m a big fan of washing hands and sneezing into elbows!
I’ve had the flu quite a few times. I think the worst time was when I was a kid and I had such a high fever that I was delerious and hallucinating! Omgosh it was awful.
Great giveaway!
Thanks
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Washing your hands is the best tip for anyone. If I can’t wash I may use a hand sanitizer.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 pm
I wish sick people would stay home. I hosted dinner on Thanksgiving and 2 sick nieces showed up and I’ve been very sick since, despite the flu shot.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Good handwashing is the best and the worst bug I had was when I had pneumonia.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:38 pm
I’ve got the worst flu right now, so apparenly I don’t know any flu prevention tips.
December 4th, 2008 at 1:46 am
wash your freakin hands
i had pneumonia once during christmas vacation
December 4th, 2008 at 8:02 am
My best tip is definately to wash your hands. I do this often all year long. I also use lysol disinfecting spray for surfaces like the phone, door handles and such in my home.
Thankfully I can honestly say that I have never had the flu bug. I did, however, have bronchitis when I was pregnant which was truly awful. My son ended up being born a month early and my husband jokes that he came early because he couldn’t stand my coughing anymore
December 4th, 2008 at 9:01 am
we use these wipes at work…and we swear by them! I just remember the worst time, I had the flu about 3 times in one winter…blah!
December 4th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Use anti-bacterial lotion often and always wash before eating. Never put your hands in your mouth or eyes. Stomach flu is the worst when you have to vomit.
December 4th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Washing your hands is key.
December 4th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
My best tip is to wash your hands
December 4th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
wash your hands alot
December 4th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Wash your hands often.
December 4th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Wash your hands
December 5th, 2008 at 3:04 am
Wear a mask and gloves when ever you exit your house. I learned this after going into the public without such items in 1984 and getting a terrible terrible virus and double pneumonia with 103 fever.
December 5th, 2008 at 9:39 am
I’ll admit to safeguard against germs, I buy into all those “remedies” such as Airborne and Emer’gen-C!! I could probably do better. Also I wash my hands with a product called “Squid Soap” which is marketed for children, but I like it (and the squid on the bottle) too.
The worst flu I ever got started out as a severe cold, became a “flu” or chest cold, then developed into pneumonia. I was hospitalized for three days, and unable to return to work for over a month! Also, I was still living home with my parents, which would have been nice, except…. I was dogsitting for them, and they were in EUROPE!!! My aunt had to come rescue me (and the dog).
December 5th, 2008 at 9:44 am
PS: I love any product in wipe format.
PSS: I am a soon-to-be art teacher, so I love the tips about wiping down the commonly touched surfaces!!!
December 5th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
I use Clorox wipes regularly to clean off my kitchen counters, kitchen table, and bathroom. I agree that not all bacteria is bad and the reason why people get the flu so easily is cause they eliminate some GOOD bacteria in their lives, but it is always good to not fraternize with people who have the flu (I’ve been healthier since I’ve worked at home).
It wasn’t the worse flu I ever got but the worse timing. It was the first year I went to spend Christmas with my fiance’s family some of which I hadn’t met yet (he was only the boyfriend then), so I was nervous enough as it is and I got the flu. I had to spend the entire week in bed at their house, and in all the xmas photos my nose is all red & puffy kinda like Rudolph!
December 5th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Wash your hands with soap and warm water often!
December 6th, 2008 at 6:19 am
Be careful where you put your hands during flu season and wash them often.
I haven’t been bitten by the flu bug in many years. I think that I was sick for most of a week.
December 6th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Wash your hands OFTEN !!!!!!!!!!
December 6th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
your best tip for safeguarding against germs…wash those hands! I am a nanny and get into all sorts of ’stuff’…if you cannot get to the soap and water right away…keep some baby wipes around…for a temporary cleaning
and the worst flu-bug you’ve ever encountered! Junior Year if College 1980. SO sick…had to take some classes over the summer
to get into Senior year
December 6th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
always washing your hands
December 7th, 2008 at 11:24 am
Clorox wipes - on door handles, light switches, all commonly touched surfaces !!!!
December 8th, 2008 at 1:43 am
I wash my hands all the time, I think that is the most important thing you can do!
December 8th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I swear by Lysol Wipes
December 9th, 2008 at 12:56 am
Probably the most important thing of keeping healthy is washing your hands.
The worst flu bug I encountered was the last one I dealt with, just a couple of weeks ago; or maybe it was just the one I remember.
December 9th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Clorox wipes and hand washing !!
December 10th, 2008 at 2:44 am
Stay away from sick peopl.e Worst flu bug was after my one and only flu shot. Ill for 3-4 months 8 doctors and a final diagnosis of asthma which went away when I recuped from that shot. No flu shot ever again. Will take my chance with the flu
December 10th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
hand washing
December 10th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Hand washing and sanditizers. Carry sanitizer to wipe carts with little ones when shopping. For crafty ones make a padded form using material with kiddy material the width of the cart handle. Using verelcoe to make faster removal.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Antibacterial soap
December 12th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Wash hands often
December 12th, 2008 at 11:59 am
wash hands!
December 13th, 2008 at 9:43 am
lots of antibacterial wipes
December 13th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Hand washing!!
December 13th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
My best tip is to wash your hands frequently, especially during cold and flu season.
The worst flu that I have seen was about 10 years ago.
Thank you!
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
December 15th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Wash your hands often
December 16th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Clorox !!!!
December 17th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Sneeze and cough into your elbow, not your hands
December 17th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
SPRAY THE PHONE AND DOOR KNOBSI JUST GOT OVER A HORRIBLE STOMACH INFECTION…NO FUN
December 18th, 2008 at 2:31 am
Handwashing and disinfecting with alcohol when no sink is available is imperative. Never touch your eyes, nose or mouth unless you have just washed your hands. People often forget that rubbing your eyes can transfer viruses.
December 18th, 2008 at 5:55 am
use Antibacterial soap and spray to cut down on germs:)
December 18th, 2008 at 10:15 am
I can not tell everyone enough how important it is to wash those hands!
December 18th, 2008 at 11:48 am
hand washing
December 18th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Have tissues handy
December 18th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
We wash our hands alot! The worst flu bug I encountered was one that got to my husband. Lots of puke & poop and lots of whining and having to be waited on. YUCK! Never want to to do that again!
December 19th, 2008 at 1:22 am
wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands!
December 19th, 2008 at 2:51 am
Best way to avoid..Stay inside!! But if you must go out, a handy take along pack of disinfectants are a good idea.
Worst flu my family ever had was while we were vacationing.. nothing like a hotel room with only 1 bathroom and 3 sick people.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:21 am
The worst bug I ever got was the flu. We wash our hands and use Hand sanitezer.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:32 am
winter is here! We need to wash those hands everyday
December 19th, 2008 at 11:38 am
sweet
December 19th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I wash my hands before I eat. I also sneeze into my elbow.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I just did this yesterday to fight off a bad bug that nabbed my oldest child. I took Clorox wipes and went over all the door knobs, kitchen pulls and the fridge doors. The worst bout of flu I managed to avoid was when I was a teenager, my family went skiing with another family for a week. Everyone was throwing up and stuck in bed except me and the teenage boy of the other family.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I make sure bathroom and kitchen surfaces are disinfected especially. It’s also important that handles and light switches are regularly disinfected, especially in the winter months.
I’ve never had the flu fortunately. I’d like to think that my thorough cleaning had a big part in that!
December 19th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
lysol spray works wonders
December 19th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Wash your hands really often.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I don’t go overboard with sanitizing. Once a day thorough cleaning of work surfaces, bathroom, etc. and wipes if coming in contact with something particularly nasty. I’m just careful not to touch my facial area with my hands and always wash after using the bathroom.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
winter is here! We need to wash those hands ever hour
December 19th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Washing hands is the best defense and trying not to touch my face during the day helps keep any germs I do pick up away from a possible entry point.
A couple of years ago, I got my first flu shot and by coincidence I was taken down by the flu the very next day. It was horrible.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
WASH YOUR HANDS WELL & OFTEN!
When a student nurse, I was hospitalized, myself, because all other personnel were at work!
December 19th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Best tip to stop germs is to wash hands a lot. My worst flu was a few years ago - high fever, thought it would never end (but it did).
December 19th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Handwashing is number one when it comes to preventing germs!
The worst illness I’ve ever had to deal with was when my son was about a year and a half old. He came down with a bad strain of the Rotavirus that had him sick for weeks and actually hospitalized him for four days! To make matters worse, my husband was on military deployment at the time and we don’t have any family close to where we live so I was the only person who could stay at the hospital with my child. Within two days, I developed the same terrible symptoms and was so sick that I left my son and went for treatment in the emergency room!
December 19th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
What a great prize! Thank you for the chance
December 19th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Wash your hands. I had a temperature of 103+ when I had the flu.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:04 am
Thanks for offering this contest. Hope we win. We wash hands all the time.
I just got over a really bad stomach bug. I was throwing up all night and once I finally got to sleep, I heard my son wake up and throw up all over his sheets. I had to clean it up when I was feeling awful myself.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Thanks for offering this contest. I hope we win. Being clean and sheen is my game.
December 20th, 2008 at 2:31 am
My best tip for safeguarding against germs is to wash your hands after touching your eyes or nose. The worst flu-bug I’ve ever encountered was when I was in 5th grade.