From the Sick Bay

DON'T SPREAD IT- INFECTION CONTROL

A fact of life that will never change is that bacteria and viruses are everywhere around us. Some ‘bad’, some ‘good’ and some won’t affect us at all. Coughing, breathing, touching and bodily fluids can all spread these microorganisms between us and even lead to serious diseases.

COLDS AND FLU

Highly common, colds and flus are especially rampant in Melbourne all year round and reducing their spread helps us all stay healthy. Everyday actions like coughing, hand to nose, hand to eye, hand to mouth or hand to hand can quickly transmit respiratory secretions full of the viruses that cause colds and flu.

Even if you’re not showing any symptoms, it’s important to follow some common sense tips, as Influenza can be contagious for 24 hours before symptoms even appear. Some tips for yourself and your children are as follows:

• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing with a tissue or with your folded elbow
• Dispose of tissues in a bin after use
• Wash hands thoroughly after contact with respiratory secretions

HANDWASHING

Washing hands effectively is the number one way to stop infections in their tracks. In fact, it can prevent about 30% of diarrhoea related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections

It sounds so simple and we do it every day, however, many adults and children don’t follow best practice and are spreading disease unknowingly and unwittingly. It’s more than just running your hands underwater for a few seconds. A few tips you should follow to make sure you’re doing it properly:

• Use soap and running water
• Rub hands together with lather for at least 20 seconds, ensuring you rub between fingers, under nails and the backs of hands
• Rinse hands well under running water
• Dry thoroughly with a paper towel that you then dispose of
• If soap and water are unavailable, use antiseptic wipes to clean hands and apply a sanitising liquid or gel that contains at least 60% alcohol                                    Amanda Daemen