Transcripts

November 23, 2004:
Facts About the Flu II
Interview with James Keany, M.D., Mission Hospital, Mission Viejo, CA

Mike Carruthers:
If you did not get the flu vaccine and you don’t want to catch the flu…

First thing you should do is get used to washing your hands very frequently. This is one of the oldest techniques to reduce the transmission of disease, and it is by far the most effective

James Keany, emergency room doctor says washing your hands is key because that’s how you catch the flu. You shake hands with someone who has the flu or you touch something that was touched by someone who has the flu. Then, you touch your nose, the virus goes in, and - boom - you’ve got the flu. But washing your hands prevents it.
They recommend that you wash your hands for at least ninety seconds, which is actually quite a long time to sit at the sink and wash your hands. Even if you just use soap and water and wash your hands in a normal fashion - where you’re washing the front, back, in between your fingers and rub a little along your fingernails - that’s going to be fine. That will reduce the transmission dramatically.

And those are very effective for killing viruses and bacteria. That way you don’t need any water. You can be at a business meeting and discretely pull out one of these containers and wash your hands afterwards. Or you can be on a bus or anywhere and use this stuff.

For transcripts and our free online newsletter, visit our website, somethingyoushouldknow.net. I’m Mike Carruthers and that’s Something You Should Know.