Staying Healthy this season!

Now in November, we are starting to enter the infectious cold and flu season. Being a teacher and interacting with students, I am being extra cautious about spreading germs. Especially now, with the new swine flu that has emerged into our school systems. Unfortunately this means a lot less of high fives and hugs when I see students in the halls and cafeteria. I also have started to wash my hands more frequently, and more thoroughly. Many of our students at school have left this week with symptoms of the swine flu and the nurses office is swarmed every day. An elementary school closed down for one week last month because there was a 20% absent rate from illness.

You can find this picture at: www.dsimple.wordpress.com

Differences between the cold-swine flu-seasonal flu

Cold

-no fever, mucus producing cough, slight body aches, sneezing, symptoms develop over a few days, no headache, sore throat

Swine flu

-fever is usually present 101 degrees, dry cough, severe body aches, no stuffy nose, chills, tiredness, no sneezing, rapid onset of symptoms, headache

Seasonal flu

-fever is common, dry cough, moderate body aches, runny nose, chills, tiredness and lack of energy, sneezing, few days to develop, headache, sore throat

Prevention tips

-cough and sneeze in your elbow

-wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds

-use hand sanitizer

-avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth

-stay home if you are sick to avoid contaminating others