Study Finds Many Cdns Don’t Cover Up Coughs & Sneezes

The intention is good but the logic is incorrect – you, of course, can’t catch a cold or the flu from the cold weather.

But a recent survey commissioned by a major tissue maker found that 42 percent of Canadians surveyed aren’t aware that viruses cause the common illnesses and nearly 20 percent incorrectly believe that chilly conditions cause colds and flu.

Cold viruses are spread when you touch something or someone infected with the germs and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes. The flu is usually spread through droplets that are sneezed or coughed into the air.

In November, Toronto Public Health launched a campaign aimed at getting you to change the way you sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue handy, health officials are encouraging you to do the “sleeve sneeze” instead of expelling germs into your hands and possibly passing them on to someone else.

Nearly 500 elementary students were at the Ontario Science Centre on Friday to learn about the pesky viruses and how they’re spread.

“A germ is a thing that spreads and then it could like get onto other people and they could get sick,” a Grade 4 student named Dianthi said.

The survey sponsored by the maker of Kleenex, which has recently released a new tissue it claims kills 99.9 percent of bacteria, also found that many Canadians aren’t taking proper precautions to prevent the spread of colds and flu.

Of the people surveyed in malls in five Canadian cities, 50 percent claimed they always use a tissue to cover their mouths or noses when they sneeze, while only six percent of those observed actually used a tissue to catch the germs.

Twenty-one percent didn’t use anything to cover their coughs and sneezes.

Sixty percent said they cough or sneeze into their hands, 11 percent into their sleeve or tissue, and eight percent face the opposite direction of people around them.

The study also found that women appear to be more conscientious than men when it comes to stopping the spread of bugs – nine percent of women coughed or sneezed into tissues compared to four percent of men.

Here are some of the ways you can avoid a case of the sniffles, or worse, this season:

Wash your hands.  There isn’t an expert out there who doesn’t put this one simple act at the top of their prevention list. It doesn’t mean you have to constantly go around with wringing wet hands. But you should consider keeping them clean, especially in places where a lot of people with a lot of potential germs congregate – like your workplace.

Get enough rest. It’s easier said than done in our sleep-deprived world where employment hours grow longer, family demands grow stronger and free time grows ever shorter. But rest is the number one way to cure the body and keep it well. And if you do come down with a cold or the flu, chances are pretty good you’re going to have to rest in the end.

Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. The most common method of transmission is from person to person via some not so appealing droplets. Keep them contained and you minimize the risk of spreading it around. But don’t use your hand as the safeguard – you’ll simply spread the contagion to yourself and possibly others with the next thing you touch.  Experts say if you don’t have a handkerchief or Kleenex before the big blow comes upon you, sneeze or cough into your sleeve.

Avoid your face. It sounds like an insult but it’s not. Many people have a habit of touching their face and eyes absent mindedly during the day, allowing germs that may have gotten onto their hands access to their systems.

A breath of fresh air works wonders. It sounds like something your mother used to say, and she was right. Central heating may be comfortable, but it dries out your nasal passages, and leaves you more vulnerable to an infection. A breath of fresh air can be, well, like a breath of fresh air.
Get regular exercise. You’ve heard it before but active people are generally healthy people.  Aerobic exercise is especially good, and can help your body fight off invaders like the cold and flu viruses.

Smoking and alcohol. Smoking isn’t good for you at the best of times and any disease that causes congestion in your breathing doesn’t need the added complication. Cutting out the butts will save your lungs, your wallet and your overall health. Drinking too much prevents your liver from filtering impurities in the body and alcohol can leave you dehydrated.

Drink water. Our bodies are made up mostly of water and keeping your system flushed is a sure way to avoid infections. Experts have long recommended eight glasses a day. How do you know if you’ve had enough? The answer can be found at a glance – if your urine is clear, you’re O.K. If it’s yellow, you need to drink more fluids.

Get a flu shot. Sometimes, no matter how careful you are or what you do, the flu bug will bite. Getting a shot against what experts guess is the most likely strain to come this year can keep you healthy. And remember while the shot can’t give you the flu, there’s no 100 percent guarantee it can prevent it, either.

FLU BASICS/IS IT A COLD OR THE FLU?

Fever
Flu
Cold

Headache
Flu
Cold

Aches and Pains
Flu
Cold

Fatigue/Weakness
Flu
Cold

Exhaustion
Flu
Cold

Stuffy nose
Flu
Cold

Sneezing
Flu
Cold

Sore Throat
Flu
Cold

Chest Discomfort
Flu
Cold:

Cough
Flu
Cold