With flu cases increasing by 50% last week according to the Arizona Department of Health, I was happy to receive flu prevention tips from The Clorox Company. Working in a preschool classroom, I’m constantly worried about bringing germs home. Having my daughter in my classroom makes me extra concerned about the potential likelihood of us getting sick. Although you can’t completely guarantee you and your family will not end up with the flu, taking precautions can reduce your chances. Dr. Keri Peterson, a contributor and columnist to The Women’s Health magazine has shared a few of her best flu prevention tips to help you and your family avoid contracting the flu this season.
A few weeks ago I was sure my daughter had the flu because there were quite a few confirmed cases at our school. I shared a short video clip on Instagram of me taking her temperature with our new forehead thermometer. As expected, she had a mild fever. She wasn’t feeling well for almost an entire week.
The next weekend I was feeling just as sick. By the following week I no longer had a fever but still felt horrible. With out a fever and no longer being contagious I went to work and powered through with the help of several over the counter medications, cough drops, and lemon tea.
Fully determined to avoid getting sick again, I’ll be following Dr. Keri’s flu prevention tips.
- Wash Hands Frequently: Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice).
- Disinfect Germ Hot Spots: The CDC recommends disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu. It is important to wipe germ hot spots around the house that are touched most frequently – like doorknobs, light switches, TV and game controllers, faucets, high chairs or plastic toys – with a household disinfectant, like Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes which kills 99.9% of germs* that can live on hard non-porous surfaces for up to 48 hours.
- Do the Elbow Cough: Cough and sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands to help prevent the spread of germs by touch.
- Follow Good Health Guidelines: Eat right, exercise and get plenty of sleep to help boost your body’s ability to fight the effects of colds and flu.
Dr. Keri says vaccination is the first step in flu prevention but it is still important to take measures to help prevent the spread of the flu virus.
About Dr. Keri Peterson:
Dr. Keri Peterson obtained her bachelor degree from Cornell University and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She completed post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and is board certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Peterson has been in private practice with a prominent medical group on the Upper East Side of Manhattan since 1999. She holds appointments at Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center. She is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association. With a demonstrated commitment to the advancement of medicine, Dr. Peterson has several publications in leading medical and scientific journals and has presented at distinguished medical symposiums. Dr. Peterson is a medical contributor and columnist for Women’s Health Magazine. A frequent media spokesperson, Dr. Peterson is a regular guest on The Today Show and has appeared on several programs including Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, The Tyra Banks Show, HLN, America’s Newsroom, Fox 5 News, America’s News HQ, Neil Cavuto, CNN American Morning and Nancy Grace. Additionally, she is a medical advisor for the healthcare website Healthination.com.Do you have any tips to help avoid the flu?
Disclosure: I received flu prevention tips from The Clorox Company.