Department of Public Safety
Mott Community
College
November
2009
Beyond Hand Washing: Fight the Flu!
Inside this issue:
Beyond Hand Washing
1
Texting
2
Keep An Eye Out
2
Call Us—we can help!
♦Emergency—762-5666
♦ Non-emergency—762-0222
♦
Campus Closing—232-8989
Hand washing plays
an important role in
keeping germs at bay.
Suddenly we’re singing the alphabet
when we wash and
opening doors with
top shape.
hand towels! Beyond
washing your hands, Germ Combat
what else can you do? Some germs are good
for you but for those
Plenty!
that aren’t? You’re
Immune System
going to want to
Ramp up your im- knock them out!
mune system with a Consider carrying
healthy diet rich in your own alcoholprotein, fruits, vegeta- based sanitizer wipes.
bles, and whole They come in convengrains. A healthy diet ient travel/purse sizes
provides essential vi- and can be used in
tamins and prebiotics lots of places that
that fosters probiot- community germs
ics. Probiotics boost hang out; restaurant
your immunity. Ask menus, shopping cart
your health care pro- handles, door hanvider about multi- dles. Use your own
vitamins. Vitamins pen at the doctor’s
help keep your im- office or pharmacy.
mune system in tip- Spray your home
with household disinfectants such as Lysol
or Clorox Clean-Up.
Don’t forget those
germ magnets like
remote controls, microwaves,
light
switches and telephones, too.
Vaccinate
Weigh vaccine advantages versus disadvantages for your particular situation and
make an informed
decision for you and
your loved ones.
Worth Repeating
•
Correctly and
consistently wash
your hands.
•
Cover
cough.
•
Dispose of tissues
after coughs and
blows.
•
Avoid touching
your eyes, nose
and mouth.
•
Stay home if you
are sick.
•
Avoid close contact with sick people.
your
Page 2
Department of Public Safety
Texting Traumas
Texting adds a great means of communicating when a verbal or email
method isn’t viable. With this method of communication also comes
some side effects.
Texting can be the cause of several different injuries that starts with mild
pain or swelling in your thumb, wrist, or forearm. The injury can escalate to a limited range of motion, numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss
of use.
Targeted exercises, anti-inflammatory medicines and surgery for severe
cases can treat these injuries.
To avoid these injuries try limiting the number of texts you send in a day. Take frequent breaks, 1 to 2
minutes for every 10 minutes of typing. Give your thumb a break and try using a different finger. Try
some stretches between texts. Stretch your wrist backward, hold for 3 seconds, then stretch it forward.
Spread your fingers as wide apart as they’ll go, hold for 3 seconds, then make a fist, hold for 3 seconds and
release. Hold your arm at a right angles from you elbow. Make a fist and tense it along with your whole
arm, hold for 3 seconds, relax and flop your arm to your side. These stretches should help lessen the forearm and hand strain that come with text messaging.
QUICK SAFETY TIP
Thaw your frozen turkey in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Allow one day for each 5 pounds of turkey.
Count your blessing,
Not your troubles.
-Douglas Pagels
If time doesn’t allow for a refrigerator thaw then use the cold water
method. Submerge your turkey, in leak-proof packaging, in cold water, changing the cold water every half-hour. Allow 30 minutes per
pound of turkey to thaw in cold water.
- Genesee County Health Department-
Keep An Eye Out
There are exciting things that we’re working on and we’re
anxious to share them with you! Look for our announcements about the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan Collegiate
Food Drive, Blackboard Connect: an Emergency Notification System, and the Public Safety Health Services office.
These announcements will be coming soon!