ATLANTA—Flu season is well underway and it’s looking like it could be as severe as the 2003-2004 winter season when 48,000 Americans died of flu related deaths. This is because this season’s dominant strain of the flu – Influenza A N3H2 – is the same as back then. The good news is that there are easy ways to stay healthy and illness-free during this year’s flu season.
“Hand washing continues to dominate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list as one of the best protection methods against the flu and other viruses,” says Marie Stegner, consumer health advocate for Maid Brigade. “Proper cleaning of hard surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom is also an important step to staying healthy.”
Cold and flu germs have the potential to survive on hard surfaces anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours or more according to the Mayo Clinic. Germs generally remain active longer on stainless steel, plastic, and similar hard surfaces such as those found in kitchens and bathrooms than on fabric and other soft surfaces.
Maid Brigade – the only professional maid service that is Green Clean Certified® – offers the following six tips to help you protect your family from illness or worse.
Wash your hands. Proper hand washing is the key to protecting yourself from germs. The CDC says that hand washing is the most important thing we can do to keep from getting sick and spreading germs to others.
Clean thoroughly. Take the time to clean properly by spraying surfaces with a natural cleaning solution and allowing for “dwell time” for the solution to remain on the surface before wiping. Use a separate micro-fiber cloth in each area that you clean to reduce the chance of spreading germs from one area to another.
Cover that cough. Colds are easily spread after people cough or sneeze into their hands and then touch another surface. This happens over and over in stores, especially at the countertops near the check out line. Keep your germs to yourself by coughing into your elbow or shoulder and not your hands.
Stay hydrated. Remember to drink water throughout the day so you stay hydrated and energized. This helps boost your immune system and fight off germs.
Clean naturally. Using just a few of the natural approaches to healthy home cleaning as featured in the new DIY Green Cleaning! video series from Maid Brigade can help keep your home clean and healthy.
Stay home. Limit contact with others who have flu symptoms. If you or your children contract the flu, stay home from work and keep children out of school.
