FLU-SEASON STARTS NOW - PLAY IT SAFE:

Get your flu shot. Flu shot not only protects you, but it also protects your family and those around you. 20-30,000 US citizens die each year of influenza, and if there is an epidemic, the numbers could be much higher and the health care system in this country could be overwhelmed. Ask your doctor if a flu shot is right for you.

Keep your fingers away from your face. Unless you just washed your hands, they are a lot dirtier than they look. Anything you touch in public could have an infectious agent on it - every doorknob, every dollar bill, every button. Most respiratory infections are acquired when contaminated fingers enter irritated eyes or itchy noses. So to protect yourself, wash your fingers before and after.

Practice Respiratory Etiquette. Keep your germs to yourself. You could be contagious before you even know you are sick. If you have to cough, don�t do it in your hand, you’ll probably be opening a door with that hand soon. Instead cough into your elbow, or better yet down into your shirt. If you have to blow your nose, use tissue then wash your hands.

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THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIPS:

Know your family history. The NIH, the CDC and the Surgeon General have recently designated Thanksgiving as National Family History Day. What diseases run in your family? If you are like most people you don’t know the answer to this question. But the fact remains that you are at higher risk for conditions that affect other members of your family, and there are often things you can do to decrease that risk. So this Thanksgiving ask your siblings, parents and grandparents about their personal medical history and keep track of the answers. This knowledge may help your doctor tailor preventive health measures to your individual risk. For more information, go to www.hhs.gov/familyhistory.

Avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen. E. coli on raw meat or Salmonella on uncooked poultry will be killed when these foods are properly cooked, but don’t forget that any plates, bowls, cutting boards or counter that they touched may remain a potential biohazard. Clean them immediately or put them in the dishwasher. If you forget and other foods touch them, you may be in for trouble.