Cobb & Douglas Public Health

Hand Washing

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Residents can avoid illness and loss of valuable time from daily activities if they practice prevention strategies such as hand washing. Many diseases can be prevented and/or controlled by practicing these guidelines. Although people usually think that germs are spread through the air, the fact is that germs are most easily spread through hand contact. One of the best ways to stop the spread of germs is to wash or to decontaminate your hands. “Hand hygiene” is the newest term to describe washing or decontaminating hands. Washing hands helps to physically remove germs by friction and to rinse them down the drain. Decontaminating hands reduces the amount of germs present on hands through use of special alcohol-containing preparations (hand rubs), in the form of gels, rinses, or foams. See information below for more details about hand washing.

When to Wash Hands

• When hands are visibly dirty.
• Before preparing or eating food.
• After touching raw meats like chicken or beef.
• After using the restroom.
• After contact with any body fluids like blood, urine or vomit.
• After changing infant or adult diapers.
• After touching animals or pets.
• After frequent contact with people’s hands.

Wash Hands Frequently and Completely

• Wet hands with water.
• Apply soap to hands – lotion soap is best because bar soap can hold germs.
• Soap every part of the hands (don’t forget between the fingers and under fingernails).
• Rub hands for 10 – 15 seconds (or sing a verse of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”).
• Rinse in a flowing stream of water.
• When there is no water, use alcohol-based hand rubs or detergent-containing towelettes.
• Dry hands with paper towels or hand dryers (operate lever-operated dispensers before washing and activate hand blowers with elbows).

Hand Washing Without Soap and Water

• Choose alcohol hand rubs containing 60-95% alcohol, listed as ingredients isopropyl, ethanol, or n-propanol.
• Choose alcohol hand rubs with 1-3% glycerol, or other skin conditioning agents, as emollients. Emollients are agents added to keep the skin from becoming irritated or dry.
• It is not necessary, or recommended, to routinely wash hands after application of alcohol-based hand rubs.
• Antimicrobial hand wipes are not as effective in killing germs as alcohol hand rubs.

More General Guidelines for Preventing the Spread of Infectious Diseases

• Routinely clean and disinfect. The regular cleaning of surface areas will remove dirt and most germs, but disinfecting offers the extra ounce of protection. It is especially important to clean and disinfect in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Use antibiotics appropriately always following directions. Antibiotics can be effective against some bacteria, but not against viruses. When used inappropriately, antibiotics can cause bacteria to become resistant and no longer respond to available drugs.
• Keep pets healthy. Pets should be vaccinated and examined regularly by a veterinarian. Litter boxes and cages should be cleaned daily. Keep pets away from wild animals that carry diseases. Many pets carry infectious diseases, for example, iguanas and turtles carry Salmonella. Always wash your hands after touching animals or cleaning their boxes/cages.
• Practice good respiratory etiquette by coughing or sneezing into a tissue and then throwing it away. Always wash your hands after handling dirty tissues. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve not your hands.

Influenza (Flu)

While influenza can seem like an inevitable fact of life during the winter months, the disease causes about 36,000 deaths every year in the United States, mostly among the elderly, infants and small children, and others with underlying medical conditions. Five to 20% of the population gets the flu, and more than 200,000 are hospitalized from flu complications.

Flu Terms Defined

Seasonal flu is a respiratory illness that can be transmitted person-to- person. Most people have some natural immunity or resistance, and a vaccine is available that must be taken every year to provide added immunity to seasonal flu. The flu vaccine is typically available at the Cobb and Douglas Public Health Center and other health care provider offices starting around October, just before the flu season begins. Sometimes, there is a limited supply of vaccine, so higher risk groups are given priority. The following is list priority groups that should get the vaccine every season:

1. People at high risk for complications from the flu, including:
   1. Children aged 6 months until their 5th birthday,
   2. Pregnant women,
   3. People 50 years of age and older, and
   4. People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions;
   5. People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.
2. People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
   • Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu (see above).
   • Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated).
   • Healthcare workers.

Heat-Related Illness

For tips on helping your pets click here.

Cobb Public Health Plans for Possible Pandemic

Quick Links Ready.gov PandemicFlu.gov Pandemic Preparedness for the State of Georgia

Cobb Public Health met with its partners today, including county and municipal government officials, hospitals, local businesses, school systems and community organizations, to discuss plans for the threat of pandemic influenza. Meeting at Timber Ridge Conference Center in Mableton, the group of almost 100 community leaders focused on developing continuity plans and addressing the basic needs of Cobb County citizens.

“It was an important first step,” said Cobb Public Health Director, Alpha Fowler Bryan, M.D. “We need the support and understanding of all our partners if we want to face this challenge head on. “A pandemic will affect every aspect of our society – businesses, community organizations, schools, individuals and families.”

Unlike regular flu seasons, a pandemic outbreak of influenza would have extreme consequences on all facets of the community. Estimates indicate that approximately 40 percent of the workforce would be unable to work, schools might have to close temporarily, and hospitals would see a massive influx of patients. “With such a large percentage of workers unable to report to their jobs, basic services that we have come to rely on could be an issue,” said Cobb Public Health’s Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response Director, Pam Blackwell, RN. - more -

Understanding Flu Terms

Influenza (Flu) viruses are a group of viruses that primarily infect birds, but also can infect and cause illness in mammals, including pigs, horses, and humans. Influenza has probably existed in mammals and birds since ancient times.

Flu epidemics occur every few years when a flu virus undergoes a small genetic change, just enough that many people are susceptible to infection. Severe illness and death during annual influenza epidemics is most common among the elderly and persons with underlying medical conditions.

Flu pandemics occur when there is a major change in the genetic make up of the virus. All humans are susceptible, attack rates are high, and mortality rates may be high as well. Influenza pandemics spread rapidly and can travel around the world in only a few months.

Bird flu (avian influenza) is a contagious disease of birds but may occasionally cause disease in other animals, including humans. The current outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus is the most severe outbreak in poultry ever recorded and is unusual in the severity of illness which it causes in humans.