Grundy County Memorial Hospital | Live Well | Spring 2020

Don’t: Touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Spend time with people who are sick. Go out in public if you’re sick unless it’s to get medical care. Share household items, like dishes, drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels or bedding, with other people if you’re sick. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Go antiviral with good hygiene The introduction of the coronavirus, COVID-19, into the American landscape made an immediate impact on the daily hygiene habits of individuals. Sound practices to avoid any virus, including the very contagious COVID-19, are outlined in these simple guidelines. NEED TO VISIT A CLINIC? PLEASE CALL AHEAD In our effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we are asking all patients to call ahead before visiting a clinic. Find out how to connect with us to get the right care for you at unitypoint.org/ coronavirus-where-to-go-for-care.aspx . Do: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow. Throw tissues in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily, including tables, doorknobs, countertops, desks, phones and keyboards. Call your health care provider if you have symptoms. Let them know you may have the virus. Wear a cloth face mask in public. Do’s don’ts & With the COVID-19 outbreak going on, you want to keep your hands as germ-free as possible. Washing your hands with soap and running water for 20 seconds is typically the best way to clean them. If you can’t get to soap and water, a hand sanitizer can be a good choice. Even so, you have to use the right product—in the right way—to get the most out of it. Here are some good-to-know tips: Do use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It should contain at least 60% alcohol. Sanitizers without alcohol may only keep germs from multiplying instead of killing them. Also, be aware: Even an alcohol-based sanitizer doesn’t get rid of all types of germs. Washing with soap and water is better at removing: ●   ● Norovirus, the leading cause of food poisoning. ●   ● Some parasites. ●   ● Clostridium difficile , which causes severe diarrhea. Don’t rush. Use enough sanitizer to cover all parts of your hands and fingers. Then rub your hands together until they feel dry—that should take about 20 seconds. Hand sanitizers may not be as effective if you rinse or wipe them off before your hands are dry. Do check for dirt. If your hands are dirty or greasy, hand sanitizers may not work well. Stick to handwashing, if possible. Don’t rely on hand sanitizers to remove harmful chemicals. If you’ve come in contact with them, wash your hands carefully with soap and water. Or call a poison control center for directions. Do be careful around kids. Keep hand sanitizers out of the reach of young children, who might mistake them for food or candy. Last year alone, U.S. poison control centers received more than 17,000 calls about hand sanitizer exposure in kids 12 and younger. A child who swallows even a small amount of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer could be at risk for alcohol poisoning. That can be deadly in severe cases. Sources: American Association of Poison Control Centers; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention H A N D S A N I T I Z E R S : 5 do’s and don’ts 3