Health Safety
Proper Hand
Washing
"Hand
washing is the single most important means of
preventing
the spread of infection."
U.S. Center for Disease Control
Why is proper hand washing
important?
Hand-transmittsion is the major source of bacterial, pathogens, viruses
which cause disease, foodborne illness and nosocomial infections.
Everyone is at risk, but nearly one-third of the population is a high
risk. These people being elderly, very young, pregnant women
and those with compromised immune systems (which may be from the common
cold).
Facts
-
Foodborne illness kills
over
10,000 people each year.
-
Foodborne illness outbreaks originate
over 70% of the time in food
service operations
-
As many as 40% of the cases are
related
to poor hand
washing
-
Over 80 million cases of food
poisoning
are reported in the US each year
-
In health care Doctors/Nurses wash
only 30% of the required times
-
Nearllly 2.5 million nonsocomial
infections
occur in the US each year
-
Estimated 30,000
deaths each year from nonsocomial
infections
and contrbute to an additional 70,000 deaths
-
Major factor in the spread of disease
in daycare today is improper handwashing
-
1 out of 5
daycare workers are found not washing their hands or improper
hand
washing.
Tips:
- Water temp should be between 105-110*
- Take enough time (a minimun of 10 seconds)
- Use warm, running water
- Use enough soap
- Use enough friction
- Rinse weill
- Dry hands thoroughly
- Turn off faucet with your paper towel
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Sun Safety
Why should I worry about
sun protection? The sun's UV (utlra violet) rays are
responsible
for 90% of all skin cancers. More than 700,000 Americans will
develop skin cancer this year alone. It is also the most common type of
cancer in the world today and can be deadly if not treated.
Facts
- Protecting your skin during the first 18 years of life can reduce the
risk of some types of skin cancer by up to 78 percent.
- You can get a sunburn even on a cloudy day! Up to 80 percent of the
sun's rays can penetrate light clouds, mist, and fog.
- Experts warn that one severe sunburn during the first 15 years of life
can double the risk of skin cancer.
- Cataracts, once thought to be an inevitable part of aging, are also
associated with UV exposure.
- Snow reflects the sun like a mirror. Fresh snow reflects back about
85% of the sun's rays.
- You can get sunburned when you are in the water! Water reflects an
additional 5% of the sun's rays back on you.
- Even dry surfaces reflect the sun's rays! Concrete reflects 10 to 12
percent of the sun's rays.
What to look for:
- A skin growth that increases in size and looks pearly,
translucent, tan, brown, black, red , pink, or multicolored.
- A mole that changes in color or in texture, becomes irregular
in shape, gets larger, or is bigger than a pencil eraser.
- A spot or growth that continues to itch, hurt, crust, scab, erode,
or bleed.
- An open sore that lasts for more than 4 weeks, or heals and
then reopens.
- A scaly or crusty bump that is horny, dry, and rough and may produce a
pricking or tender sensation.
Prevention
- Avoid the sun from 10 AM to 3 PM
- Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat
- Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen --SPF 15 or higher
- Stay out of tanning salons
- Examine your skin regularly
Tips:
-
Know what to look for
-
Do and annual skin checkup (more often if you are at
risk)
-
Stay out of the sun
-
If you go out in the sun use sunblock with SPF15 or
higher
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AIDS
Awareness
AIDS is acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome and is the result of the HIV virus. Some 5 to 10 million
people worldwide are HIV-positive. Today the fastest growing segment
of the population with HIV is teens and women. The primary cause
of this increase is unprotected sex.
Sypmtoms
-
Prolonged, unexplained fatigue
-
Fever lasting more than 10 days
-
Night sweats
-
Swollen glands or rapid weight loss
-
Persistent diarrhea, colds, unexplained dry cough or sore
throat
-
Easy bruising or unexplained bleeding
Transmission
-
unprotected sexual intercourse
-
sharing needles or syringes with someone with
HIV
-
receiving contaminated blood or blood products
-
from mother to fetus during pregnancy
-
from mother to infant through breastfeeding
*Note: HIV does not appear to be transmitted through
saliva, tears, sweat or feces. It is also not transmitted through
mosquito bites or contact with inanimate objects such as toilet
seats.
Prevention
To reduce your risk of contracting
HIV eliminate risky behaviors:
-
Limit your sex partners or abstain completely
-
Avoid unprotected sexual contact. Use latex
condoms.
-
Don't use intravenous drugs
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The Flu
What is the flu? Influenza or the "flu"
is a viral infection of the nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs.
The flue is seasonal and runs from November -April. The onset of
the illness is very fast with the majority of symptoms lasting 3 - 4 days,
but a dry cough can last from several days to weeks.
Symptoms
- Chills
- Cough
- Fever (often ranging between 102 - 106*)
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Lethargic behavior
- Nasal stuffiness or runny nose
- Swollen glands
- Dizziness
- Eye irritation or pain
- Vomiting
- Muscle and joint aches
Recommendations
- Get plenty of rest
- Drink a lot of clear liquids to restore fluids
- Gargle with warm salt water, drink tea with honey or lemon,
use lozenges for sore throat pain
- Adults can take aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen to
releave aches and pains
Never give aspirin to children/teens. It can
cause Reye's syndrome, a rare but often fatal condition.
-
Antihistamines or decongestants may
help with runny nose and watery eyes.
Prevention
- A flu shot is available with will reduce the risk of
contracting the flu
- A drug called amantadine can be helpful in
preventing some strains of flu
- Wash hands frequently
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