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news release |
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ANDREW J. SPANO, Westchester County Executive JOSHUA LIPSMAN, M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner of Health SUSAN TOLCHIN, Director
of Communications |
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CONTACT:
(914) 813-5000 (After Hours)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October
18, 2004
AAAACHOOO! I DON’T
WANT THE FLU!
Westchester County
Residents are Encouraged to Take Easy Precautions to Reduce Their Chance of
Getting Sick with Influenza
Stuffy nose, high fever, muscle aches, sore
throat. These are just some of the symptoms associated with influenza, the
virus that causes the “flu.” By following some simple advice, you can greatly
reduce your chances of feeling any of these symptoms and not get the flu.
“The best way to prevent contracting the flu is to get a flu shot,” stated Joshua Lipsman, M.D., M.P.H, Westchester County Health Commissioner. “However, due to current vaccine shortages, it may not be possible for everyone to receive one, so it is very important that we do everything else in our power to prevent getting the flu.”
Since the flu vaccine remains in very limited supply and it is uncertain if and when more vaccine will become available, the Westchester County Department of Health advises residents to adhere to general good health habits to stave off the flu. The behavioral components to help prevent the spread and contraction of the flu can be summarized in “Four C’s”:
1.
Contact: Avoid
close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, keep your distance
from
others to prevent them from getting sick. Equally important is avoiding contact with your eyes, nose and mouth since the virus spreads by entering the mucous membranes in these areas.
Page 2 Flu Prevention
2.
Contain: If you
are sick, stay home from work, school and public areas. By doing so, you will
help others from getting sick too.
3.
Cover: Cover
your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough to protect others
from getting sick. Since you may be contagious even before you realize you are
sick, it is important to make this habit routine.
4.
Clean: Clean
your hands in hot soapy water often. Hand washing is one of the most effective,
yet overlooked ways of preventing the spread of illness.
All the steps are simple and effective, but hand washing is of utmost importance. The Westchester
County Department of Health spread the word about the effectiveness of hand washing last summer through its W.A.S.H. Up Westchester Campaign. “In an age where we are constantly making advances in technology and new treatments, we have to remember the basics in infection control…wash your hands!” Dr. Lipsman said.
The correct way
to wash your hands is as follows:
1) First wet your hands and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Keep the bar soap on a rack that allows it to drain.
2) Next rub your hands vigorously together and scrub all surfaces.
3) Continue for 20 seconds. Tell kids to wash as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. It is soap combined with the scrubbing action that helps dislodge and remove germs.
4) Rinse well and dry your hands.
Influenza is a highly contagious disease that infects 5 to 20 percent of the population in the United States each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 36,000 people die from influenza complications, with another 114,000 being hospitalized, each year. Most deaths are among those over 65 years of age, the very young, or those with other serious health conditions.
For more information on influenza, call the Westchester County Department of Health at 813-5609 or visit www.westchestergov.com
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