Info & Tips On Not Getting Sick

Here's some information on germs and tips to prevent you and your loved ones from getting the sick this season!

Basic info on germs:
Germs are tiny organisms or living things that can cause disease.  Germs are so small and sneaky that they creep into our bodies without being noticed until we have symptoms that say we've been attacked.

The four major types of germs are: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. They not only attack humans but plants and animals too. Though not all bacteria is bad!  We need some bacteria in our intestines to help us use the nutrients in the food we eat and make waste from what's left over.  Also some bacteria is used in labs to product medicines and vaccines.

Viruses need to be inside living cells to grow and reproduce.  They spread and make us sick like chickenpox, measles, flu and many others.

Fungi get their nutrition from plants, people and animals.  They love damp, warm places and not much of a threat to healthy people.

Protozoa love moisture too and often spread diseases through water.  Some can cause intestinal infections that lead to diarrhea, nausea, and belly pain.

Wash Your Hands:
When washing your hands be sure to use warm water,  soap, scrub between your fingers, under your nails and front and back of your hands for at least 15-20 seconds. After rinsing off your hands use the paper towel or tissue that you've used to dry your hands with to turn off the faucet.

Interesting Facts:
In general adults who have the flu can spread the virus for up to 5 days after they start feeling sick. Children can spread the flu virus for 7 days or more.  

People can be infected with the flu virus and not display any symptoms for at least 24 hours upon contracting the virus.

Flu viruses can live up to 2 days on hard surfaces and up to 12 hours on materials such as cloth and paper, so be sure to wash your hands often, thoroughly and disinfect items that may have come into contact with the virus.

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