What with swine flu news and precautions on keeping up with hygiene, I learned something that seems like it would be elementary. I learned how to wash my hands. I was also amused to hear on NPR that basically, adults can learn from little kids on how to wash hands because kids scrub, rub, and wash hands for a longer period than most adults. Never say you can't learn from kids.
So, in order to wash hands properly according to CDC, you are supposed to use soap and lather our hands. I hope we all knew that. We are also supposed to wash thoroughly under running warm water for about 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday song twice). I hope you knew that because I did not.
Something else I did not really think about until listening to NPR last week -- If a major pandemic does break out, then potentially it may have the same effect in our society as a major natural catastrophe such as hurricane, earthquake, or fire. Meaning, that people will not be in stores, perhaps credit card transactions won't go through (because there won't be people working in that sector), water may not be running (because there won't be people working in that sector), etc. etc. In natural disaster, we are aware that we should have a kit and emergency money. I realized the value of actual cash -- not credit cards -- when everything shut down during the hurricane in Alabama. Having gas for your car is also a pretty darn good idea because pumps won't work at gas stations to fill up your car. And last but most importantly, water and food???
All of which, we should have. But this guy (I forgot his name) on NPR was talking about how the American government was doing disservice to the public by not advising people to basically get their basic emergency kit ready and handy... in case our society does come to a halt. The message was basically that if we have to stay in our homes for a while, having plenty of water, food, and cash goes a long way.
Learning something new everyday.
2 comments:
What amazes me is that we seem to think we only need to do these things when there is some kind of a threat (disaster in the making). Washing hands often and properly, covering our mouth and nose when we cough or sneeze, etc. are all common sense actions that we should be doing as a regular habit.
Having a 72-hour emergency kit and at least a 3 month supply of emergency food, water, clothes, etc. should also be a normal ocurrence. There are too many disasters happening these days to think that we are not going to be affected by something at some time in the not too distant future, whether it be Mother Nature's doing or a man-made calamity. We need to be prepared.
That's quite true, and these are things we should be doing everyday (I do wash my hands obsessively normally... but not for 20 seconds).
Although once I do have my emergency kit, it dwindles down and I start all over again...because I eat my emergency kit supply to avoid expiration! And I replenish my water supply... because that too dwindles down whenever I get one out because it's just too easy to.
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