HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2003-01-08, Page 13THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2003. PAGE 13.
Some lessons on proper cold etiquette
On average, Canadians develop two
to four colds per year. Invariably the
illnesses are relatively mild and last
less than a week. However, colds are
the leading cause of both doctor visits
and lost days at work and school.
Sometimes it is difficult to know
the difference between the flu and a
cold. The symptoms of the flu, more
properly known as influenza, are
generally more severe symptoms,
which typically include: headache,
chills, and fever. As with a cold, the
flu cannot be treated with an
antibiotic.
People often mistake a respiratory
tract infection (RTI) for something
else such as smokers cough, a
common cold, or allergies, and as a
result, neglect to seek treatment. If
your cold-like symptoms last more
than two weeks without
improvement, they may be caused by
an infection of the sinus cavities
(bacterial sinusitis). Common
bacterial RTIs can include chronic
bronchitis, acute sinusitis and
community-acquired pneumonia.
The dos and don’ts
Not only should you take care of
yourself when you are suffering from
a cold or an RTI. you should also be
considerate of others around you. If
you have a cold or an RTI, you are
highly contagious and may transmit
your germs to your friends and
family. Here are some tips on proper
cold etiquette in order to avoid the
spread of germs.
Stop the Spread! Things to do
when you are sick:
• Wash your hands often:
Results of a r’cent study at
Toronto’s Ryerson Polytechnic
University showed that washing
your hands seven times a day seems
to be the threshold for making a
significant dent in avoiding the
spread of germs that cause illness.
The study found that the chance of
staying healthy was 4.2 times
greater for those who washed their
hands more than seven times a day.
• Keep your germs to yourself:
When coughing or sneezing, cover
your mouth with a tissue with your
non-dominant hand, thus leaving
your dominant hand clean for
opening doors, etc.
• No shaking hands:
Since hand-to-hand contact is the
most common way to spread germs,
avoid shaking hands on all accounts.
Explain to people that you are sick
and they will not only understand,
but thank you for not giving them
your germs.
• Avoid or limit stress:
Stress has a tremendous impact on
your immune system. The more
stressed you are, the more likely you
are to get sick with a cold, the flu or
worse, an RTI. Stress can even make
symptoms worse when you are sick.
• Limit contact with those who
are vulnerable to colds:
Young children are prone to colds
and may have eight to 12 colds
every year due to lower immunities
to cold-causing viruses and
infections. On the other hand, the
elderly have diminished cough and
gag reflexes and faltering immune
systems and are at greater risk for
serious respiratory infections.
• Take care of yourself first before
you see a doctor:
When you get sick, rest, plenty of
liquids and over the counter
medications will help you get better.
If the symptoms persist beyond two
weeks a bacterial RTI may be the
culprit - antibiotics are then needed.
• Go see a doctor:
If your cold or flu has not gotten
better within two weeks and you
think you may be suffering from a
common respiratory tract infection
including chronic bronchitis, acute
sinusitis or community-acquired
pneumonia, contact your doctor to
seek appropriate treatment.
• Stay home when you’re feeling
ill:
If you are not feeling well, stay
home to avoid spreading your germs
at school, the office, the mall or
wherever you should or could be.
• Don’t over exert yourself:
During the duration of a cold, gel
plenty of rest, avoid excessive
exercise, drink lots of fluids,
especially water, and do not share
food, eating utensils or cups with
anyone.
• Don’t suffer for long:
When suffering from a respiratory
tract infection, such as chronic
bronchitis, acute bacterial sinusitis
or community-acquired pneumonia,
talk to your physician about
available treatment options.
“It is important that people have
consideration for others when they
are sick," said Tony Mazzulli, a
Canadian infectious/ disease
specialist. “Following a few simple
etiquette steps will decrease the
chances of spreading germs to others.
If you think that you arc suffering
from a respiratory tract infection, be
sure to speak to your physician about
newer antibiotics that will quickly
treat your RTI and get you back to
your daily activities.”
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1
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