Best Tips to Avoid the Swine Flu During Holidays

Keep From Getting Sick by Preventing H1N1 Flu Infection at Parties

Nov 10, 2009

Use these tips to avoid the swine flu during the holidays by using common sense at parties. Keep from getting sick with a H1N1 infection by following this simple guide.

During the holidays, people tend to gather, go to parties, and share many things. While sharing Christmas gifts and wishes for world peace are traditional over the holiday season, sharing germs can also be an unfortunate side effect of these gatherings. In order to avoid the swine flu during the season of giving, follow some simple common sense rules.

Keeping Clean to Avoid Swine Flu

Frequent hand washing is necessary during the flu season, particularly now, due to the swine flu. It is important, however, for hand washing to be done correctly. Hot water, along with adequate antibacterial soap, is a must during hand washing. In order to have thoroughly sanitized hands, they should be scrubbed with soap for the time it takes to sing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

When at a holiday gathering, hands should be washed prior to eating, drinking, handling any food, or touching the face in any way. After touching a doorknob, or any other common surface, hand washing removes any germs that have been picked up as well.

Buffet Eating Transmits Germs

Most holiday parties include a buffet table of holiday treats. Cookies, chips, and other serve-yourself finger foods are available for all party-goers. Unfortunately, not everyone in the room will have clean fingers when they grab a chip or cookie, and germs can be transmitted in this fashion. In addition, a single inadvertent sneeze could cover the table with an invisible layer of contagion. In order to avoid the swine flu at parties this holiday season, it may be best to eat privately, before the party.

Talk to Guests Before the Party

Having a frank discussion with all party guests before the big day helps everyone understand the necessity for avoiding swine flu infection for everyone who has been invited. Assuring party guests that feelings will not be hurt in the event of a last-minute cancellation due to illness, and that cancellation is preferable to the spread of H1N1 flu among other guests, is an important communication this year.

Dangers of Swine Flu Parties

Some people believe that by exposing themselves and their children to someone who has the swine flu, they will be protecting themselves from a later, more severe, case of swine flu. These people gather in groups, with an infected individual, in gatherings called swine flu parties. Swine flu parties are not recommended by the CDC, due to the potential severity of the swine flu infection, particularly in children and pregnant women.

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