Protecting Ourselves from H1N1

We should protect ourselves and other family members from getting the infection.

I. How do we protect ourselves and others from getting infected by the influenza A(H1N1) virus?

If we have family members who are sick, we should:

i. Improve personal hygiene for all: We should clean their hands often, especially before touching our nose, mouth and eyes, using soap and water or hand sanitisers. After that, we should dry our hands with paper towels or dedicated cloth towels. Commonly used household items or frequently touched surfaces should also be cleaned regularly with detergent.



ii. Stay home: We should advise persons with influenza-like illness not to leave home before they are symptom-free, especially when they are still having fever. (Patients are likely to spread the virus from one day before they develop symptoms to up to seven days after they get sick. They are most infectious when they are having fever.)

iii. Keep your distance: We should avoid being face-to-face with the sick person. When holding small children who are sick, we should place their chins on our shoulders so that they will not cough in our faces. Household contacts, especially those who are at high risk (see below), should try to stay at least 1 meter away from the patient, whenever possible.



iv. Wear a mask: If a person with the influenza-like illness needs to leave the home (e.g for medical care), they should wear a surgical mask, and practise cough etiquette and good hand hygiene.

v. Try not to share: It is preferable for the sick individual to stay in a room separate from other household members, whenever possible. Linen, eating utensils and dishes belonging to those who are sick do not need to be cleaned separately, but these items should not be shared without washing thoroughly first with water and soap.

Adapted from The Star Newspaper http://www.clovetwo.com/articles/story.asp?file=/2009/9/27/healthnfitness/4778560&sec=healthnfitness#

How many times do you wash your hands with soap in a day?

Hi everyone,

I picked up an article I read from the Internet. As children we are taught to wash our hands after using the bathroom, before and after every meal, when we cough or sneeze into our hands, when we play with our pets, or handle dirty laundry and after playing outside. We are taught that by washing our hands before and after doing the above, our hands are free from germs hence we are on our way to a healthier lifestyle. But we may be forgetting the most important part of our hand washing routine, hence let us look at the essence of hand washing.

With the recent outbreak of the Swine Flu in Mexico and the United States, and Now it's HERE... It is advised that we should all be extra careful and take more precautions in our daily hygiene care... We have to make the conscious effort to ensure that we wash our hands on a regular basis, by observing the proper techniques and using an appropriate cleaning agent.

For more information, click on the link below...

Source : http://clovetwo.com/articles/story.asp?file=/2009/5/4/healthnfitness/20090504091601&sec=healthnfitness

Make handwashing a healthy habit

Through handwashing can help prevent disease

Washing your hand with soap can protect yourself from many illness caused by viruses and bacteria which you can easily pick up when you touch people, animals or surfaces. If not removed, these germs may get into contact with your eyes, nose, mouth and other parts of our body, thus allowing the germs to spread and you getting ill easily.

Germs are very microscopic and we can't see them. No one is ever safe from germs, so washing your hands frequently is a very good habit to disinfect and safeguard against them.

So when do we wash our hands?

As a general rule,we MUST wash our hands before and after eating, after using the bathroom and after playing with pet, after sports, after handling or moving objects, and at all means, as frequently possible.

Wash your hands with soap? 'No need, no time.'

I read a random article which I found in the net today. Click here to read more about it.

The article states that Singaporeans are washing their hands more often with soap and some of them even wash their hands twice. Washing hands with soap is a great way to stay away from germs. In fact, it is something which everyone should cultivate, especially NOW, when the H1N1 Virus is spreading across the globe. The best way to prevent it is by keeping healthy, staying healthy, clean and hygene - Do lots of exercise and have lots of Vitamin C to boost your immune system against threats.