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I have two friends from work that have it now and a husband getting over the flu. I've managed not to catch anything by practicing good hand hygiene and using the disinfecting wipes as well. Just a reminder, you need to wash your hands including the backs, between the fingers, under your rings, and thumbs for a good 20 seconds. Most people don't wash long enough or thorough enough.
I do that too! I fly a few times a year with my son and I'm terrified of catching something. I'm never without Wet Ones in my purse. I had norovirus two years ago for the first time in my life and it traumatized the heck out of me! The gastro symptoms weren't even the worst of it - the absolute scariest thing was that I felt like I've been rolled over with a bulldozer, my whole body hurt sooo much i couldn't sleep all night and I couldn't stand upright without blacking out That was seriously the scariest experience ever! Thankfully it was over in two days, but still wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy - especially scary if you have a young child to take care of! DS was 1 at the time and had I been alone, I actually would not have been able to even lift him up. Freaky.
We travel a lot...planes and cruise ships in particular. We ALWAYS wipe down the tray, and rests and believe it or not, those "shared magazines" are a HUGE source of shared germs...when we get on a ship, we use the "handrails" by sliding our wrist along it (that way, should the need arise, we can instantly "grab on", and push all elevator buttons EVERYWHERE with our knuckle vs finger tips.
When we get to our room, we wipe the handles going into the room, all fixtures and surfaces and most important, THE REMOTE CONTROL AND THE PHONE with clorex wipes....we cruise during the "height" of norovirus season every year because we like to get to the sunny areas in Feb...and have cruised on ships with outbreaks...but using these tips, so far, have been able to avoid these threats. We also get our flu shot annually, which we feel does help.
I am a nurse, and see and am exposed to "stuff" all the time...I HONESTLY think that some very simple tricks like ENSURING you are HYDRATED (to help your immune system fight off stuff), hands cleaned and not touching things unnecessarily ( but again, using your knuckle or wrist to guide or touch common areas) REALLY has helped us.
I remember reading once the most COMMON germ spreading agent in a hospital was.....the CLERGY!!! They go from room to room, normally would lay hands on someone as they prayed with them, and did not wash hands as care givers do because they do not consider the contact they have with the sick. The 2nd biggest issue...remote control and phones.
I noticed some self-serve salsa bars are not lighted. Health codes require buffets to be lighted to catch dirty conditions and not hide them, so I dont know if salsa bars are covered under the same code. Second day of headaches and sour stomach. Omeprazole helped with the stomach and acetaminophen the head. For hands? The best is a good scrubbing with materials that dislodge viral hosts: warm water, soap, and clean towel wipe. I like that because if some bug wants to make it past hundreds of years of practice, so be it, but in tiny numbers to be recognized by the immune system.
This is quite true, I work in a clinic where we explain all day long that "stomach flu" is not influenza.
Patients get a flu shot and then complain that it didn't protect then from the "stomach flu."
I don't know any doctors that use the term "stomach flu." Hopefully they take the time to educate their patients.
I would hope that most everyone would know the difference between one and the other. It is up to doctors to explain the differences. A flu shot won't protect again another strain of the flu either or protect against a cold. You are right about the educating patients. The same as explaining anti biotics will not speed up recovery from the flu...
I also am the one you see not touching surfaces. I use my jacket sleeve to open doors and to push buttons on the elevators, etc.
When I worked in a drs office, I wiped surfaces down all day long. My co-workers ragged on me for it quite a bit in the beginning but began to appreciate it.
Going to the doctors office has got to be the worst! My internists office wants their patients to use a computer kiosk to check in where you are touching the screen and on the same spots as everyone else.
I let them know I wasn't going to do that. The front staff was not pleased but they are having you do that and then not supplying any hand sanitizer in the area either.
I let my dr know and she said eww, thats disgusting! The drs don't know whats going on in the front. Personally, my immunity is already down from having RA and then to top it off, I take medicines which suppress it even more!
I don't know why I clicked on this. I felt fine until I did. (sometimes I think it's all in the mind)
I know I'm super paranoid. I remember hearing about the outbreak on cruise ships and being afraid to take cruises now. It seems like this has been the worst winter for people being sick. I'm so ready for spring. I don't think it helps the media keeps writing up big scary stories about it either.
I wish all public restrooms would have a trash can near the door. I use a paper towel to open the door and need to dispose of it. I won't touch the handle b/c so many don't wash their hands before leaving.
A 10% bleach solution is only effective IF it is left wet on the surface for a full 10 minutes. A spray & wipe is not effective.
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That was seriously the scariest experience ever! Thankfully it was over in two days, but still wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy - especially scary if you have a young child to take care of! DS was 1 at the time and had I been alone, I actually would not have been able to even lift him up. Freaky.
