At Sittercity.com, we've heard a lot of talk, worry and fear surrounding the swine flu pandemic, especially in the last couple of days. School closings, global alerts, ER visits -- people are getting scared out there.
But rather than panicking, experts are telling us to keep calm, use common sense, stay alert and follow tips to avoid catching the virus. We've got a few of those essential swine flu tips to help both caregivers and parents remain healthy during this tough time.
SWINE FLU SYMPTOMS: Fever, lethargy/fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills, and possibly diarrhea and vomiting.
Via WebMD
1. Wash Your Hands: It sounds like such a simple solution, but experts are saying that this is one of the most effective ways to avoid swine flu.
Wash your hands thoroughly and often (compulsively, even!). Wash them before you eat, as soon as you get to a babysitting job, after you use the bathroom, after you get off public transportation, after you cough or sneeze, etc. The more you wash, the better you're protected.
More hand-washing tips:
Use warm or hot water.
Wash for at least 20 seconds -- as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.
In addition to washing fingers and palms, don't forget about your fingernails and wrists.
Rinse well.
2. Cover Your Mouth: Rather than coughing or sneezing into your hands, it's best to use turn your head into your shoulder or use the crook-of-the-elbow technique.
If you are going to cough or sneeze into a tissue, immediately throw that issue away.
Also, right after you've coughed or sneezed, go wash your hands just to be safe!
3. Stay Home: If you're supposed to head to a babysitting job when you start feeling flu-like symptoms come on, do NOT go to the job. It's better for you to cancel rather than infect a family's children.
Parents, if your child starts developing flu-like symptoms when the babysitter is supposed to come over, call her and cancel. It's not convenient for anyone, but this is the only way to prevent the swine flu from spreading even more than it already has.
Remember, if you're feeling sick, wash your hands even more than you had been prior to developing symptoms.
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Those are the basics -- follow those tips and you'll be in a good position to prevent swine flu from spreading. Make sure children follow those tips as well.
A few more quick tips to prevent swine flu:
Use hand sanitizer (gel or wipes both work well) when on the go.
Wipe down your office and home phones every few days.
Wipe down toys, doorknobs, toilet handles and countertops as well.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Occasionally open the windows in your home to air the place out.
Don't let children share pacifiers, cups, cutlery, towels or toothbrushes.
Change and wash the cloth towels in your home regularly.
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