TIPS TO STAY SAFE AFTER FLOODS: (Article written on occassion of Chennai floods for awareness compaign through Bluebase newsletter)

                        

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. All these days we have been recklessly throwing away garbage in open spaces. This caused a blockage in sewage canals and pathways for water entering into the sea, thereby causing a stagnation of rain and sewage water. The recent floods and outbreak of diseases bears testimony to this fact. Hence preserving personal as well as public hygiene is the need of the hour.

SOME SAFETY TIPS:

·         Take hot water bath after returning home on a rainy day. Wash your legs and nails with sanitizers and disinfectant soaps.

·         If your footwear becomes wet, clean and use only after drying them on the next day. Avoid wearing shoes and leather footwear during these rainy days.

·         Don’t wash rain soaked clothes along with other clothes. Wash them separately.

·         It’s a must to have raincoats, umbrellas and tissue papers with us while going out on rain.

·         Although we wear raincoats preventing our foot’s contact with rain water is almost impossible. Add two spoons of Epsum salt in a half bucket of mild hot water and massage your foot gently for 20 minutes. This removes infections, dirt and pain from your feet.

·         The probability of sewage water mixing with drinking water is very high during rainy season. This causes water borne diseases such as jaundice and typhoid. If you get symptoms such as headache, vomit or fever it is advisable to contact your nearest doctor immediately.

·         Avoid eating outside food as they may not be prepared in a hygienic manner. Since diseases which cause indigestion such as cholera spread rapidly during this season it is always better to prefer home-made food rather than hotel food.

·         Diseases such as malaria and dengue spread at a faster pace due to mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water in rainy season. Never let water to stagnate. You can also use mosquito bats and mosquito nets.