Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones From The Dangerous Spread Of Swine Flu With These 9 Easy Steps You Can Take Right Now

The Swine Flu (H1N1) virus is on the minds of many of us these days. Whether you have small children or elderly people around you may want to take some precautions to keep you and your family safe. The Swine Flu is thought to be a reassortment of four known strains of the flu virus: one endemic in humans, one in birds, and two in pigs/swines. Transmission of the new strain is human-to-human. In the end of May and early June the Swine Flu spread globally even shutting down Mexico City, Mexico for days. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the flu outbreak to be a pandemic.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) noted that is was a very serious virus, and most hospitalizations and deaths had been of persons that also had underlying conditions such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, or a weakened immune system. Just in our city yesterday there were 5 more deaths from the Swine Flu.

This is definitely not a matter to be overlooked. Through my research I have come across 9 different tips into this matter that will help prevent you or your loved ones from catching the Swine Flu.

1. If you or your loved ones (kids and spouses) are experiencing any symptoms of the flu for heavens sake STAY HOME until you are not contagious. With the Swine Flu it is said that you are contagious one day before you see any symptoms and 5-7 days after. Keep the sick person away from other people as much as possible, especially from those who are at high risk for influenza complications like small children and the elderly.
2. Remind the sick person to cover their mouth with their arm near the elbow when coughing or sneezing. Do not cover your mouth or nose with your hands. Yes the germs are not in the air but they are now on your hands and anything you touch there after.
3. Dispose of used tissues immediately. Do not let them accumulate in garbage cans or on the night stand. EWE!!!
4. Do not let anyone, ill or healthy, share drinks or eating utensils. If you could see the germs your mouth leaves you wouldn’t want to share even if you are not sick.
5. Encourage everyone in the household to wash their hands often, using soap and water. A soap and water wash should last 30 seconds – 15 seconds lathering up and 15 seconds rinsing with warm water. Wash all the way up to your elbows if possible. If you are getting people in your house not washing their hands for that long just teach them to sing Row Row Row Your Boat while they are washing their hands and by the end of the song they can be done with washing their hands.
6. If soap and water are not readily available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a second choice.  Note: Chemical hand sanitizer should stay wet for at least 1 minute to be effective. Do not mistake hand sanitizer for an acceptable every-time alternative to soap and water.
7. Dedicate individual cloth towels for each person in the household. One towel for bath and another one for drying their hands after washing. For example, assign a different colored towel for each person and launder them regularly.
8. If close contact with a sick individual is unavoidable, consider wearing a facemask or respirator, if available and tolerable and remember to wash hands regularly.
9. Clean the commonly touched surfaces (light switches, refrigerator door handle, remote control, etc.) in your home daily, preferably with steam. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta reports steam is the best way to clean and sanitize a solid surface thought to be covered with contagious germs. A good quality household steam-cleaning machine is a wise strategic defense against the spread of all kinds of contagious diseases.

You and your loved ones health are very important. Practice the above steps often so that you are guarded from catching the Swine Flu. Please pass these steps along and teach others. Maybe together we can stop the pandemic outbreak of the Swine Flu.

Do yourself and your family a favor and protect them from the flu this season. Whether it be the seasonal flu or the Swine flu a Sargent Steam Cleaner can eliminate those nasty germs that harbor on your surfaces. If you would like more information on how steam can help you and your family stay healthy this year check out our website at Sargent Steam.   http://www.sargentsteam.com or visit our blog at http://www.therealdirtonclean.com.

Sargent Steam has been in business and been steam cleaning experts since 1993. We are the go to gals of the industry when it comes to cleaning and cleaning with steam. Let us help you with your cleaning challenges.