Editorial: Steps should already be taken to help prevent disease

By: Editorial | Opelika Auburn News
Published: April 28, 2009

By now you’ve heard about the fear of a pandemic stemming from the swine influenza virus.

You’ve heard about the more than 149 dead in Mexico. You’ve heard about the scores of people who have contracted the illness in the United States. You’ve heard of the concerns people in the medical industry have of this disease becoming widespread.

You also heard how SARS, the Bird Flu and Y2K could be damning, but they amounted to little or nothing in the U.S.

So you ask yourself, “Are officials crying wolf?”

We ask you do not take that approach. The feds have considered this a “public health emergency” and there’s no reason why it should not be treated as such.

The threat of the Swine Flu sweeping through your home may be slim, but as medical experts believe, it’s possible.

“Even though the U.S. cases so far have been mild, the severity of the disease in Mexico is worrisome,” said Dr. Donald E. Williamson, State Health Officer of Alabama. “It is likely swine flu cases will occur in Alabama, since there are already cases in various states and they do not appear to be linked to each other. Persons should take steps to reduce their chances of contracting influenza.”

The time to prepare for the potential of an outbreak is now.

But steps should not just be followed to aid in the prevention of the Swine Flu. There’s no reason why we cannot follow similar steps to help prevent contracting other diseases.

Germs are everywhere among us. Everything we touch. Everything we step on. Practically on every hand we shake.

There’s no reason we should not wash our hands often with soap and water, particularly after coughing or sneezing. Use a hand sanitizer or disinfectant soap.

Try to avoid touching your mouth, eyes and nose with your hands. That’s almost impossible because so many motions are involuntary, but a conscious effort to reduce this practice could reduce the chance of putting germs inside our bodies.

The sick should stay home from school or work and reduce contact with others.

Do these steps sound familiar? Before there ever was a Swine Flu, there were simple procedures people should follow to help keep themselves disease-free.

Follow them. Swine Flu or not.