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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Staying Healthy This Holiday Season: Doctor Says “Go Back to Basics”

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Monday, November 16, 2009   

WORCESTER, Mass. - Shopping, parties and family get-togethers - the holidays are almost here. And so is the start of cold and flu season. If you aren't in the market for a flu shot, or don't have access to one at this point, Dr. Gina D'Ottavio, a family practitioner at Great Brook Valley Health Center, Worcester, reminds you that when it comes to keeping you and your family healthy, simply remember what your mother always said: Wash your hands well and often using warm, soapy water, and if you are out and about, be sure to keep your hands away from your face.

"If you know your hands are dirty - for example, if you've been to the mall or the grocery store and you've touched surfaces - avoid putting your hands up to your face, particularly your nose and mouth. This is the most common way that flu-like illnesses and colds are spread."

If you do get sick, be sure to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, she says, and use a tissue or the bend in your elbow to prevent spreading germs to others. If you don't feel well, she adds, it's best to just stay home. While that can be difficult during the holidays, by avoiding contact with others you decrease the chance of spreading germs, she explains, and increase your own chances of getting better faster.

"If there are people in your family who are at increased risk of getting very sick from the flu - elderly people, very young babies or anyone with a chronic illness, for example - you should do your best to stay away from them."

D'Ottavio says that if you do develop symptoms, such as a high fever and a persistent cough, be sure to call your doctor.

For tips on how to stay healthy this holiday season, she recommends www.partnershipforhealthcare.org.


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