Keep the flu from visiting your home this winter – a series of tips

TIP #1: Hand washing, hand washing, hand washing! Hand washing cannot be emphasized enough. According to the CDC and the Mayo Clinic, hand washing is one the most important things you can do to prevent infection. Take the time to teach your kids how to properly wash their hands or ask them to teach you how to do it.

In addition to hand washing after using the restroom, and before handling or eating food, have everyone wash their hands immediately every time they return home. Ask your kids friends to wash hands when they come in the house and it’s good manners to ask your child to wash hands when you visit family and friends.

TIP #2: Hand sanitizer! Keep in your bag and car so that you can clean your hands after leaving public places such as the office, grocery store, park, and daycare center.

Put a tiny hand sanitizer bottle in your kids’ lunch box with a reminder note. For our young kids, we drew a simple picture of two hands and the bottle with arrows from the bottle to the hands and talked to the kids about it before hand. Remember to either place the hand sanitizer in a separate compartment from food, or to wrap in a Ziploc so that the hand sanitizer won't spill and possible contaminate the food. For older kids, consider a door-mounted hand sanitizer bottle in their locker or a bottle to keep on the shelf

TIP #3: Wipe down door handles, cupboard and drawer pulls, and sink faucet handles regularly with a sanitizing wipe.

Sanitize regularly used items such as phones, video game controllers, your car, and keys.