I hate being sick!  Who doesn’t though, right?!

Although not unexpected for this time of year, it seems as if especially recently there has been an increase in viral respiratory and gastrointestinal illness recently.

The spread of viral illnesses, like the flu and norovirus, can be prevented by practicing good personal protection measures.

 Prevention is KEY!!!

Help yourself and your family stay healthy by following these few tips:

•  Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and warm water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel, like Purell.

• Sneeze and cough into your elbow.
• If you are sick, stay home from work, school, or childcare.

  

• If you are a food handler, healthcare worker, or child care worker and are vomiting or have diarrhea, you must stay home until symptoms have stopped for at least 48 hours.
• Do not share utensils, water bottles, or other personal items. Many germs that cause viral illness are spread through saliva.
• Wipe down common items like phones, keyboards, doorknobs, and railings with a disinfectant that contains bleach.  (You can also use a solution of 5-25 tablespoons of bleach to one gallon of water.)
• Get a good night’s rest, drink plenty of water, and eat a healthy diet of fruits and veggies. Helping your body to be strong enough to fight off illness is so important.

Many viral illnesses need to run their course and require staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest.

Antibiotics fight bacterial infections and will not cure illnesses caused by a virus.

If you are sick enough to seek medical care but your problem is not life-threatening don’t waste your time sitting in an emergency department. Call your doctor or go to an urgent care center instead. You will get seen much quicker at their offices and you will feel more comfortable with a quick visit then spending hours in the ER waiting room.

If you are already feeling sick, I hope that you recover quickly!

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