There will surely be wonders, because there always are at an Olympic Games. Someone — quite possibly someone you have never heard of — will dazzle with speed or grace or ferocity or pluck.

But there is a certain sadness to the Beijing Winter Games, which officially open on Friday. Be it politics or policy or pandemic, the Olympics have become subdued in the very city that, in 2008, made them into a wondrous, ambitious and abiding spectacle.

Thousands of visitors from all corners of the world have descended on China’s sprawling capital and into its surrounding mountains, cutting daily through the heart of the city with no way to touch or taste or interact with it. Residents of Beijing peer at their Olympic guests through the towering fences that ring every venue and through the glass windows of the private buses shuttling them from place to place.

For the second time in a year, the Olympics will serve mostly as a soundstage for sports: active and emotional and exciting inside the ropes, consumed by viewers locked out a world away, watched by sparse crowds in nearly silent stands. That was the case when women’s hockey opened on Thursday, at least, when a carefully selected set of spectators was invited in to see Canada and Switzerland play. They did not clap. They did not cheer. Many, it seemed, did not always even follow the puck.

The so-called bubble, a region the size of a small city surrounding the Olympic buildings, is designed to contain a deadly pathogen, one that kept all but selected spectators away. There are rumblings of protests, and fears over how a proud, defiant China might face them. There is a sobering landscape of barbed wire and disinfecting mist, and of a city disconnected from another treasured turn on the world’s stage. There is a mascot, Bing Dwen Dwen, but exactly who the giant panda is there to entertain isn’t always obvious.

Perhaps that will change on Saturday. The first medals will come this weekend. The Olympics, whatever they will be, are here.

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After many fans at the NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium were seen ignoring the mask-wearing requirement, Los Angeles County’s public health director, elected officials and NFL representatives preached a message of COVID safety and personal responsibility Wednesday for those attending the Super Bowl and other affiliated events.

As was the case for all games at SoFi this year, fans at the Feb. 13 Super Bowl will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative test, and all attendees over 2 years old must wear masks during the game unless “actively” eating or drinking, according to Russ Simons, senior vice president for campus and facility operations for SoFi Stadium.

“That doesn’t mean you buy a bucket of popcorn and eat it for two hours. Actively eating and drinking,” he reiterated. “We’re on to you.”

The NFL will provide KN95 masks to all workers and fans during the game, and people who attend the Super Bowl Experience at the Los Angeles Convention Center will receive take-home COVID-19 tests — in hopes they will use them before watching the Super Bowl at the stadium or at a gathering.

John Barker, head of live event operations and production for the NFL, said the league has been preparing for Super Bowls during COVID-19 for nearly two years, and it is “extremely confident in the plans we have in place.”

Many of the measures have been in effect at SoFi Stadium throughout the season, including:

— electrostatic spraying to disinfect horizontal surfaces and common touch points;

— UVC lighting to sanitize the field; and

— touchless hand sanitizer stations, as well as touchless soap, water and towel dispensers in the restrooms.

“There’s been an extraordinary level of cooperation between everyone here, and we’re all laser focused on a shared commitment to the public health safety measures at NFL-sponsored events over the next 10 days, including the Super Bowl Experience at the L.A. Convention Center, and events at YouTube Theater, Crypto.com Arena and SoFi Stadium,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

For people attending Super Bowl parties and gatherings to watch the game, Ferrer said, “Outside (is) always better than inside, fewer people (are) always better than large crowds.”

To encourage people to get vaccinated during Super Bowl events, the Super Bowl Experience at the L.A. Convention Center will offer vaccinations and booster shots to anyone eligible, and people who get a dose of a vaccine will be offered free entry. Children who get vaccinated at the event will get a fast pass.

“This is a great chance to get to the front of the line. We want you to have an amazing experience,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

Garcetti was one of many people seen at the NFC Championship Sunday without a mask, but the mayor insists he only took it off briefly to take a photo with Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and that he held his breath during the photo as a precaution. He denied flouting health regulations, insisting he wore his mask throughout the game.

He and Inglewood Mayor James Butts both highlighted the need for people to exercise personal responsibility and follow safety rules.

Following Sunday’s game, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger called for a reevaluation of the COVID-19 mask mandate, saying such rules “don’t make a difference when they’re not consistently followed or enforced.”

Ferrer responded on Wednesday that the department would reevaluate when COVID-19 transmission in the county goes below the “substantial” or “high” classification.

“We’re constantly looking at the data and trying to figure out what responses make the most sense. You know, we’re still in the surge, I think we reported over 15,000 new cases today, that’s still one of the highest numbers of new cases,” Ferrer said.

The department on Wednesday reported 15,664 new cases and 102 new deaths.

County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who currently chairs the board, was more blunt, saying the county “will stay the course” and maintain its mask mandate. She said the county will develop “medically informed plans to relax masking requirements when the surge is over. L.A. County’s transmission is still high, so now is not the time to let down our guard.”

She also insisted that mask-wearing is a “modest requirement” that “will not affect the attendance or our enjoyment of the game.”

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The Kärcher FC 7 is the ultimate cordless power mop for anyone with hard floors. It is fast, super-efficient, and above all takes little effort – it is a pleasure to use.

While nothing makes mopping a joy, it does a vastly better and faster job than a manual mop and bucket. Why? Powered rotating rollers use clean water (and optional floor cleaner solution) to scrub the floor better and faster than a human can. The dirty water is squeegeed away into the wastewater tank.

Now there is a science to mopping and I have tried enough powered and robomops to understand this. Our guide Five tips for choosing a robovac/mop covers this but in essence:

• Simply swishing a manual mop over the floor does not ‘cut’ grease and grime. All it does is remove dust, as evidenced by the ever increasingly dirty water in the mop bucket
• Most robomops just drag a static microfibre plate across the floor. There is no downward pressure, a.k.a. elbow grease and as it becomes quickly soiled and drags dirty water over the floor. At best, a maintenance mop.
• A powered (cordless) mop usually has at least one rotating roller and a clean/wastewater system so your floor gets some elbow grease and clean water.

Kärcher FC 7 Cordless hard floor cleaner (mop)

Website	Product Page
Price	The base unit as tested is $799 with free shipping
From	Kärcher online, CE retailers, hardware stores, SuperCheap Auto and more
Warranty	2-year ACL and 60-day money-back guarantee
About	Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG is a German family-owned company that operates worldwide and is known for its high-pressure cleaners, floor care equipment, parts cleaning systems, wash water treatment, military decontamination equipment and window vacuum cleaners
Country of Manufacture	Likely Germany
More	CyberShack power and robomop reviews

First impression – Kärcher Yellow

The concept is simple. Clean water tank, four motorised rollers (two forward and two rear), and dual squeegees to remove dirty water and detritus to a waste tank – all housed in the traditional Kärcher yellow, battery-operated mop. It is well-made, reflecting clever industrial design.

In the box – minor assembly required

• 400ml clean water/detergent tank
• 30ml sample of RM536 multi-purpose floor cleaner concentrate
• Mop body and charger
• Four colour-coded rollers (matching the colour coded motorised spindles)
• 200ml dirty water tank and squeegee
• Black rectangular floor stand for storage when not in use
• Black cleaning station (a big tray and cleaning brush)

Setup – so simple

The most impressive thing about this is there is no ‘App’ to invade your privacy.

• Plug-in the 30V/.6A/18W charger – a full charge takes about four hours
• Slip-on and lock the rollers (only have to do this once)
• Lower the body onto the wastewater tank (underneath)
• Stand it up on the Floor stand (which prevents any water from dripping onto the floor)
• Put half a cap of RM536 concentrate with water into the clean water tank and clip under the handle
• Press power on and go

The open flaps expose the squeegee

Four rollers are easily cleaned in the washing machine or on the device itself

Wastewater tray

(L) Floor stand (R) cleaning tray

Let’s talk about store/charge/cleaning it

It is not a mop/bucket that you can store in a broom cupboard. It needs access to 240V power and a reasonably sized sink to empty the wastewater and clean the rollers (that is easy – more later). At present, it lives in our second bathroom but ideally, Smart homes need a smart design – more power and better connectivity. So, think about where you will put it.

Use – almost zero effort required

It only weighs 4.6kg and is effortless to move over hard floors. The front two rollers spin the opposite way to the rear, so the unit simply glides over the floor. This is most important to those with wrist aliments – there is virtually no stress on the wrist to guide it.

Like all mopping, you need a plan to avoid walking over the mopped areas. Ideally, that means starting furthermost away from where you store/charge/clean it. Mopped areas dry in seconds to minutes.

Our first run covered about 50m2 on one clean 400ml tank before discovering two minor weaknesses.

The unit has warning lights for low clean water and full wastewater. The water tank is 400ml, and the wastewater tank is 200ml. There is a disconnect. The easy answer is to half fill the clean water tank and empty the wastewater simultaneously.

I mopped the stone-tiled entry stairwell and foyer. I picked the device up and traipsed down the stairs, leaving a trail of dirty water as it spilt out of the waste container. Now it is my fault – but there is no warning when picking it up to keep the device ‘horizontal’ and not swing it around, especially down the stairs. Once I realised what had happened, I quickly emptied the dirty water tank, and all was well.

These are the only operational issues encountered, and it is all about getting used to it.

Mopping efficiency – the best

I first vacuumed the area with the Dyson V15 Detect stick vac because its laser light head and particulate matter readout make vacuuming a game – let’s find all that offending dirt. Result? The floors were dust and detritus free!

We usually then run Hobot Legee 7 robomop (the only robomop we currently recommend), but we knew we would have to test the Kärcher FC 7, so ‘Legs’ got the weekend off. Sadly, for ‘Legs’ the Kärcher did such a good job that it is worried about its future. On that note, there is a new Legee D7 four-in-one robovac/mop coming that might just be the answer for all-in-one cleaning.

As mentioned earlier, the wastewater was quite dirty. The Kärcher FC 7 does an excellent job because, unlike a hand mop or robomop, it uses clean water for the entire mop.

To my surprise, it took a lot less time than a manual mop (estimate 30+% less), and second, I did not have a sore wrist or back from stooping or tiredness from manually mopping – fresh as a daisy.

I also like the turbo boost button that momentarily speeds up the rollers to remove stubborn stains – and it works like a charm. The mop path is 30cm wide, and the water distribution is very even. Edge cleaning is very good.

There are two water settings. On the standard setting, the floor was dry within a minute or so of mopping. On the higher setting, there was too much water for this floor. That would be good for more porous stone surfaces.

Battery – good for 150m2

Four-hour charge and about 45 minutes running time – only impacted by excessive use of the boost button.

There is no app, and therefore you must rely on a three-bar LED to tell you charge levels. I estimate -130-150m2 from one charge.

It uses six lithium-ion cells in parallel. The battery assembly and batteries are spare parts. Or you could use a battery repack. Even if you use it weekly, at worst, it should last 800-1000 complete charge cycles – that is a long time!

Maintenance – minimal

Kärcher has an excellent reputation for several years of spare parts availability. Almost every part is available to order.

We don’t know how long the multi-surface micro-fibre rollers will last, but at $29 a set, this won’t be an issue. A stone roller set is available at $34.90 and presumably has longer fibres and more tensile resistance for stone floors.

The universal cleaner and stone cleaner concentrate are $14.90 for 500ml (use a few drops), and there are specialist detergents for wood oil/waxed (RM535) and wood sealed (RM534). Or use tap water – it is free.

Maintenance otherwise is to wash the rollers after use (up to 60°) in a washing machine. Or use the three-minute roller clean program and clean tray – that is it.

Noise – low

A quiet <55dB even on turbo boost.

Light Commercial use

It is a domestic device, but it can be used for larger areas – showroom floor etc. The limitation is changing the clean and wastewater tank every 50m2 or so.

Kärcher has a commercial range of stream vacuums if you need to remove grease and grime, e.g., a take way or café kitchen or disinfect to kill Coronavirus on hard surfaces.

CyberShack view – Kärcher FC 7 cordless mop

The barefoot test proves it, and it is so easy to use you won’t conveniently forget to mop anymore.

Kärcher is so far ahead of manual mopping and even the best robomop that it has no peer.

Which made me think about what else Kärcher could do? The FC 7 is the dual-roller is the logical replacement to the single roller FC 5 at $649 and the FC 3 at $449.

I could suggest steam or water heating; then I realised that it would be just as easy to use warm water in the clean tank. Steam is very dangerous on laminated or faux wood hard floors.

Rating

Bissel, HiZero and more have alternatives you could consider. But I suspect the Kärcher FC 7 outclasses these. Then there are the plethora of generic mops that may look good and work for a while, but parts are impossible to get.

So apart from being careful when you lift it down the stairs, Kärcher has nailed the design and the clean factor. And I would still vacuum first for a perfect clean – healthy home.

$799

Pros

• Effortless and quick mopping for squeaky clean, streak-free floors
• Not pushing dirty water around – goes into a tank
• Terrific after-sales service and spare parts for years
• Easy to clean andf maintaIN
• If you hate mopping, this may change your mind

Cons

• Take care when moving it downstairs – keep it level
• Finding a place to put another floor cleaner device

 

 

 

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Many businesses throughout the West Coast will soon start the process of phased returning to the workplace or have already welcomed employees back to workplaces to some extent. This requires employers to take new measures to protect their employees, their operations, and their customers.

Whether, when, and how a particular business can reopen fully and return employees to the workplace will largely depend on where the business is located and what industry it is in. In all cases, however, employers must remember that they have an overarching obligation under state and federal workplace health and safety laws to provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to their employees. This means that employers, now more than ever, need to remain vigilant in staying informed about potential risks and proactive in adopting proper procedures to reduce them. To help with that effort, we have compiled a list of key considerations and links to the resources that employers will want to take into account when bringing employees back to the workplace.

In order to cover the breadth of content and provide the depth of substantive resources that we hope will be useful as a reference for going forward, we are providing links to a host of applicable guidance and additional resources on the substantive items covered by this overview.

DIVERGENT APPROACHES BY STATE TRIGGER DIFFERENCES IN REOPENING

Washington

Washington’s approach to the pandemic was to initially impose a blanket closure that applied to most businesses, except those operations that were specifically excluded because they were deemed “essential.” On June 30, 2021, Washington allowed all industry sectors to return to usual capacity and operations with the exception of venues for large events. By Governor’s Proclamation, a “large event” is a ticketed or preregistered assembly of 10,000 or more individuals at an outdoor venue or 1,000 or more individuals at an indoor venue.

• Capacity restrictions: For large indoor events, venues are restricted to 75% capacity, unless vaccination verification for attendees is occurring. If vaccination verification for attendees is occurring prior to entry, and the venue requires all attendees be vaccinated, there are no capacity restrictions.
• Minor children: Currently, attendees under the age of 12 at large events are allowed to attend without proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. At the time of this publication, the Centers for Disease Control (“the CDC”) has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 years old. Governor Inslee has endorsed the vaccine and we may see large event restrictions extend to minor children.
• Face coverings: Everyone five years of age and older must wear a face covering in public indoor settings and at large, outdoor events with 500 or more attendees, regardless of vaccination status.

Washington counties (like King County) continue to impose other restrictions so employers need to monitor their local regulations.

Oregon

Alternatively, Oregon initially closed only specific businesses (for example, restaurants and bars (except for takeout/delivery), recreational facilities, arcades, salons, gyms, malls, jewelry shops, spas, tanning salons, and yoga studios). The state also strongly encouraged telework wherever possible, but allowed most businesses to continue operating, so long as they could meet physical distancing requirements. In May 2020, Oregon began allowing businesses in 31 of the state’s counties to begin Phase 1 reopening, subject to specific health and safety protocols. Independent from the Phase 1 reopenings, and also beginning in May 2020, Oregon eased restrictions and implemented specific statewide requirements for child care facilities, summer schools, day camps, and stand-alone retail operations.

In November 2020, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“Oregon OSHA”) adopted a final temporary rule imposing requirements on all workplaces related to, among other things, physical distancing, masks, COVID-19 infection notification processes, medical removal of employees from the workplace, cleaning and sanitation, COVID-19 testing for workers, exposure risk assessments, employee training, infection control plans, and ventilation requirements.

On June 30, 2021, Governor Brown’s Executive Order No. 21-15 took effect and rescinded most of Oregon’s statewide requirements regarding physical distancing, masking, and capacity limitations. Oregon OSHA revised its COVID-19 workplace rules, eliminating masking and distancing requirements except in certain settings, such as healthcare and transit. Shortly thereafter, Oregon, like the rest of the country, experienced a surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations due to the emergence of the Delta variant. In response, Oregon imposed a new statewide mask mandate and vaccination requirements healthcare workers and K-12 educators and staff. Oregon OSHA incorporated the new mask requirement into its COVID-19 workplace rules.

While Oregon OSHA no longer requires all employers to impose physical distancing requirements (except in healthcare and transit settings), the other requirements of its COVID-19 workplace rules are still in effect. Those rules include requirements relating to COVID-19 infection notification processes, medical removal of employees from the workplace, cleaning and sanitation, COVID-19 testing for workers, exposure risk assessments, employee training, infection control plans, and ventilation requirements. The rules also impose additional requirements on employers in healthcare, emergency medical services, transit, and veterinary industries, as well as “workplaces at exceptional risk.” Additionally, all employers may still choose to require their employees to maintain physical distance, even when not required by Oregon OSHA’s COVID-19 workplace rules.

California

On June 15, 2021 California fully reopened all industry sectors and retired the Blueprint for a Safer Economy framework. The remaining restrictions are limited to mega-events, defined as indoor events with 500 or more people and outdoor events with 5,000 or more people.

• Indoor mega-events: Attendees must provide proof that they are fully vaccinated, or have a received a negative COVID-19 test. Attendees age 18 and older must also provide identification confirming that you are the person presenting proof of vaccination status or negative test result.
• Outdoor mega-events: California Department of Public Health recommends that venue and event operators require proof of vaccination or testing.

Federal

On January 13, 2022, the United States Supreme Court blocked enforcement of the federal OSHA’s Vaccination and Testing rule. In Washington, Governor Inslee has implemented a vaccine mandate for certain state employees and the education sector however he has not signaled any expansion to the private section. Oregon OSHA stated that it will not adopt such a rule in Oregon. And finally, California OSHA continues to enforce its state-specific Emergency Temporary Standards on COVID that have most recently been updated on January 6, 2022.

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND RESOURCES ON REOPENING

While a business’s ability to reopen is generally governed by proclamations from the governors, the contingencies and prescribed reopening procedures themselves primarily flow from guidance issued by public health authorities and occupational safety and health agencies. Given that, it is important that employers know and consult the relevant resources from these authorities in preparing for and resuming operations:

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND RESOURCES ON RETURNING TO WORK

With a framework for reopening in mind, employers should recognize that the guidelines and regulations have evolved with new COVID-19 variants and geographic disparities on vaccination rates, and we expect they will continue to evolve. As of this publication, our West Coast states (Washington, Oregon, and California) each have their own COVID-19 prevention programs for workplace safety that comports with the guidance from the federal OSHA, which Alaska generally follows. These state regulations have replaced prior suggested guidance and are enforced through fines, penalties, and workplace shutdowns. Employers should continue to monitor their applicable state OSHA guidance for changes.

A CHECKLIST OF COMMON REQUIREMENTS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR REOPENING

Employers will need to adopt and follow a host of protocols and practices for employees to return to work safely, memorialized in a written Pandemic/COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. States like California and Oregon have provided a model written program and the federal OSHA has issued topic-specific policies, like ventilation. A well- developed plan will include a number of common details across virtually all industries that we expect will apply to nearly all employers. Here are the key elements of such a plan:

Have a plan and clear protocols in place for addressing employee illness.

• Educate all employees on the potential symptoms of COVID-19. The list of symptoms has been updated by the CDC and now includes cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, fever (over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit), chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, congestion/runny nose, nausea/vomiting, and diarrhea. Employees should be self-evaluating for symptoms before coming to the workplace.
• Make sure that employees know not to come to work if they are ill, have been exposed to someone who is ill, or are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Have a well-developed and clearly communicated protocol for employees to follow if they become ill, including removal from the workplace and a separate area where they can be isolated until they leave the workplace.
• Temporarily close off any areas where an individual with probable or confirmed COVID-19 worked or touched surfaces, until the areas and surfaces are cleaned and disinfected.
• Designate a qualified supervisor to monitor employees’ health and enforce the company’s COVID-19 protocols and policies.
• Do not punish or otherwise take adverse action against an employee for reporting workplace safety concerns, including concerns related to COVID-19. Consider whether additional policies or supervisory trainings may be needed to ensure that this expectation is followed.

Take appropriate steps to help prevent the virus from spreading and keep the workplace safe and healthy.

• Consider appropriate screening measures for employees and visitors. Some industries may mandate temperature and symptom checks upon arrival; others may rely on employee affirmations that they have not exhibited symptoms.
  • Don’t forget to abide by applicable recordkeeping obligations and comply with additional pay requirements that may be triggered under existing policies or practices, applicable union contracts, or wage and hour laws.
  • Be sure also to consider privacy implications that may apply.
• Consider appropriate physical distancing measures and personal protective equipment (PPE) that may be needed.
  • Some employers may be required to ensure that all personnel are at least six feet apart at all times and may need to install partitions.
  • Under applicable state and local governance, employers may be required to mandate that employees wear masks as a condition of returning to the workplace, or at a minimum working in an area where others are present. Other employers may choose to voluntarily implement such a mandate. At a minimum, employers must permit employees to wear masks in the workplace. In fact, Oregon, Washington, and California have each issued formal guidance in this regard.
  • Employers may be required or choose to provide employees with additional PPE, such as gloves, gowns, goggles, and face shields.
  • Evaluate physical and administrative controls to make adjustments to minimize the potential for contamination and unnecessary contact. For example, employees may be scheduled in shift-specific “teams,” or assigned specific restrooms and/or break areas, so as to minimize the amount of overlap and contact among employees.
• Ensure and maintain sanitation of workspaces, equipment, and tools. The CDC has also published a “Disinfecting Decision Tool” to aid in this effort. Also be sure to use appropriate disinfectants known to combat the virus.
• Ensure that employees exercise rigorous personal hygiene.
• Be sure to consider whether any new protocols or policies might implicate any collective bargaining obligations, and reach out to union leadership in advance if so.

Be aware when protections may entitle certain employees not to return to work.

• State sick leave mandates in Oregon, Washington, and California are triggered when employees may need to be out ill themselves, are needed to care for family members who are ill, or can’t work due to the closure of a child’s school/daycare.
• Federal Family Medical Leave Act and state equivalent leaves may be available if an employee or a family member becomes seriously ill or requires care.
  • In Washington, this may include the new Paid Family and Medical Leave that is administered by the state Employment Security Department.
  • In California, employees who are excluded from the workplace because of a workplace COVID-19 exposure are eligible for pay in certain circumstances under the Emergency Temporary Standards.
• The federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and related state disabilities laws, may entitle an employee with a health condition that makes the person vulnerable to, or potentially triggered by, COVID-19 to additional periods of leave or other accommodations, such as remote work or schedule adjustments.
• Some states, such as Washington, have enacted additional protections for employees deemed to be at high risk of COVID-19 complications.

Make sure that policies, practices, training, and posters are up to date.

• All employees and new hires should be trained on the company’s policies related to COVID-19. In Washington, reopening will be expressly conditioned on having a written plan and/or policies available at each location and available for inspection by state and local authorities.
• Develop policies, or update existing policies as appropriate, to address the additional leaves outlined above, as well as flexible scheduling and/or telework (if feasible) so that employees can stay home to care for sick family members or care for children whose schools or places of care are closed.
• The CDC and many local public health authorities have also published helpful workplace posters about proper hygiene and physical distancing to avoid spreading the virus.

Stay proactive about educating on and enforcing nondiscrimination protections. Consider whether this should include additional training or policy updates related to certain stigmas that may be associated with the pandemic. For example, the Washington Department of Health has published resources intended to address stigma reduction associated with misperceptions about the virus and its causes, including a toolkit for use with education and outreach. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has also released anti-harassment policy tips, a checklist for employers, and chart of risk factors that lead to harassment and appropriate responses.

SUMMARY

We hope this is a helpful compilation as employers engage in their own efforts to prepare to welcome employees back to the workplace, whatever that may look like. Of course, this is just a small snapshot of the available resources and guidance that is available, and employers are encouraged to check out the Miller Nash COVID-19 Resource Center in particular for more information.

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As COVID-19 continues to spread across the United States, physicians are issuing a reminder about flu season. They want to make sure people are taking right step to protect themselves.

“We see people traveling more and getting into larger groups and more congregated settings, and so we expect the cases of respiratory infections and influenza will rise,” said Neha Vyas, MD, family medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Vyas recommends wearing a mask while out in public, social distancing when possible and regularly washing your hands.

It’s also important to disinfect any high-touch surfaces in your home. For example, door knobs, light switches and countertops.

If you haven’t already gotten your flu shot yet, now is the time to do so.

Dr. Vyas said while it can’t prevent influenza entirely, it can help reduce the severity of symptoms and length of recovery.

“Especially now that our hospitals and emergency rooms are overwhelmed with COVID, you want to try to manage your symptoms as much as you can in the comfort of your own home,” she said. “If your symptoms are not severe, then you should be able to do that at home rather than going to an emergency care facility.”

Since COVID-19 and flu symptoms are so similar, additional testing may be required to know which virus you have. However, Dr. Vyas said a key difference is a person with COVID-19 may be more likely to lose their sense of taste or smell. 

Source: Cleveland Clinic News Service

Exclusive content from CARE magazine

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Healthy eating doesn’t have to be hard work. Small changes to the food you choose, the way you cook and the way you eat can make a real difference.

To celebrate Good Housekeeping’s centenary, nutritionist Fiona Hunter has compiled 100 quick and simple tips – from smart swaps and new ways to prepare and cook food to clever kitchen gadgets – that will make healthier eating a piece of cake.

Healthy eating advice

1. Look at labels

Traffic light labelling on the front of packs provides an at-a-glance guide to just how healthy (or not) a food is – but don’t forget to check the nutrition panel on the back too, which will help you compare brands, as well as the ingredients list to check what a food really contains.

2. Add a squeeze of lemon

Acidic foods such as lemon will lower the glycaemic index (GI) of pasta and rice, which will slow the conversion of starch to sugar.

3. Garlic: crush it, don’t cut it

The more you damage garlic (and onion) cell walls, the more anticlotting sulphur phytochemicals – which help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke – you release, which is why crushing is better than cutting. Resting crushed garlic for 15 minutes before use will boost levels even further.

4. Out of sight, out of mind

Hide sweets and biscuits away (or better still don’t buy them). Studies show that if you keep the biscuit tin or ‘naughty’ treats where you can see them, you’re more likely to succumb.

5. Plan ahead

Healthy eating is much easier if you plan your days. Set aside time at the weekend to write a healthy recipe menu plan for the next seven days. This will help you become more organised, and the investment in managing your meals will pay dividends when your energy levels and good intentions may be flagging later in the week.

6. Ring the changes

Variety may be the spice of life but it’s also the key to a healthy balanced diet. No single food or food group can provide all the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Eating a wide range of foods is the best way to make sure your diet contains all the nutrients it needs.

7. Homemade for health

Cooking from scratch puts you in control. It means you can improve family favourites by reducing salt, choosing healthy fats and adding ingredients such as beans and wholegrains to boost the fibre.

Healthy eating: ways to improve porridge

8. Chia seeds

A good source of fibre and magnesium.

9. Walnuts

A good source of omega-3 oils.

10. Cinnamon

Helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

11. Pumpkin seeds

A great source of zinc, important for a healthy immune system.

12. Berries

In fact, add any fruit – fresh, dried, canned or frozen.

13. Time for tea?

Save it for teatime – the tannin in tea reduces the absorption of iron from food, so try not to drink it with meals.

14. Feel the pulse

Canned beans and pulses such as lentils and chickpeas are high in fibre, and just three heaped tablespoons count as one of your 5-a-day (although no matter how much you eat, they will only count as one portion per day). Try adding them to soups, casseroles or salads.

15. Don’t overcook your pasta

Pasta cooked al dente has a lower GI, which means it is digested more slowly, helping you to feel full for longer while keeping blood sugar levels stable.

16. Give peas a chance

Frozen peas are a great standby and, like other frozen vegetables, are a great source of vitamin C. In fact, quickly freezing freshly harvested produce can lock in the vitamins, so frozen fruit and veg often contain higher levels of vitamin C than fresh.

17. Drink more water

Not drinking enough water is one of the most common causes of headaches, poor concentration and tiredness. Long-term dehydration can lead to constipation and urinary tract infections. Download an app such as Waterlogged to remind you to drink regularly.

18. Supercharge your sarnie

Instead of butter, spread bread with mayo, which contains unsaturated fat and is easier to spread, and choose wholemeal bread too. Then add lots of vegetables to the filling.

19. Go to work on an egg

Eggs have a lot to offer – they’re one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D as well as providing good amounts of vitamins A, E, B2 and B12. They are also rich in lecithin and choline, which play an important role in brain function and memory. And don’t just keep them for breakfast – they make a cracking lunch or dinner!

20. Shop online

If you haven’t tried internet food shopping, why not give it a go? It’s quick and easy and you’re less likely to be tempted to buy unhealthy treats and snacks.

21. Get your oats

Oats are rich in beta glucan, a type of soluble fibre that helps the body get rid of unhealthy cholesterol. Studies show that eating just two tablespoons of oats as part of a low-fat diet can help to reduce cholesterol levels. Choose jumbo oats or stone-ground oats rather than the fine-ground types, because they will be absorbed more slowly.

22. Mix up the mayo

Reduce the calorie and fat content of mayo by mixing it 50:50 with plain yogurt. Pep up the flavour by adding chopped fresh herbs, garlic or a dash of mustard.

23. Get into the brekkie habit

Don’t rely on a strong black coffee to give you a kick-start in the morning. Take the time to eat a proper breakfast and you’ll reap the rewards throughout the rest of the day. Studies show that people who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and are also less likely to suffer from colds and flu.

24. A little of what you fancy

Allow yourself a treat now and again. If you include the foods you like to eat in your diet – but ‘naughty’ ones in moderation rather than as a daily treat – you’re much more likely to stick with your healthy resolutions in the long term.

25. Eat an apple before your lunch

Research from Penn State University found that people who ate an apple 15 minutes before lunch consumed 190 fewer calories than those who snacked on something else or ate lunch on an empty stomach.

26. Cook your carrots and serve them with a little oil

Cooking carrots helps to break down their tough cell walls, releasing the carotene contained within the cells. The body can absorb around 50 per cent more carotene from cooked carrots than raw – and adding a little butter or olive oil helps to boost the absorption even more.

27. Go nuts

Nuts and seeds are a good source of vitamin E and heart-friendly unsaturated fats. People who eat nuts regularly are less likely to suffer from heart disease. All nuts are healthy but different varieties contain different nutrients, so ring the changes.

28. Be mature

Choose extra-mature rather than mild cheese when you’re cooking. You won’t need to use as much to get the same level of flavour and so will reduce the calorie, fat and salt content of your dish, without losing out on taste.

Kitchen appliances that help make healthy eating a doddle

29. Hand blender

Great for making homemade soup, a healthy lunch that can count as two or even three of your 5-a-day.

30. Juicer

Although most of us are well aware of the recommendation to eat at least five portions of fruit and veg a day, only one in three of us manages to reach the target. Starting the day with a freshly made juice is an easy way to get your first of the day.

31. Slow cooker

At the end of a busy day, cooking a meal is probably the last thing you want to do – which is why these gadgets can be such a good friend. What’s better than arriving home to a delicious stew or casserole? Slow cookers aren’t expensive and are perfect for cooking cheaper cuts of meat. You can even make porridge, cakes and jam in them.

32. Food processor

Cooking from scratch can mean a lot of chopping, grating, slicing and mixing, which is so much quicker (and easier) if you have a food processor.

33. Spiraliser

If you’re watching your weight, following a low-carb diet or simply trying to eat healthily, a spiraliser is well worth the investment as it allows you to create ‘spaghetti’ and ‘noodles’ from a whole range of vegetables including carrots, courgettes, beetroot and sweet potatoes.

34. A cool way to remove fat

Easily remove fat from gravy by adding a couple of ice cubes to it while hot – the fat will congeal around the ice cubes, which you can then remove and discard.

35. Spray oil, don’t pour

To save calories, put your oil in a spray bottle. If you spritz rather than pour, you’ll use a little less when cooking.

36. Don’t brush your teeth immediately after drinking fruit juice

Acidic foods, such as fruit and its juice, weaken the enamel that protects teeth, making it more susceptible to damage. So instead of reaching for the toothbrush immediately after eating these, rinse your mouth with a little water if you like, and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth.

37. Pick popcorn over crisps

Plain or lightly seasoned popcorn contains twice as much fibre and less fat than crisps, plus popcorn is a wholegrain cereal. Choose air-popped if possible.

38. Don’t forget to grind your flax seeds

Flax seeds are a useful source of omega-3 oils, particularly if you don’t eat oily fish. They also contain phytochemicals called lignans that may help to ease some of the symptoms of menopause. The problem is that they have a tough outer coating, so if you don’t crush them before you use them your body can’t access these nutrients, and you’ll be missing out on the benefits.

39. Grow your own herbs

Herbs don’t require a lot of space or skill to grow and are a good way to flavour your food without adding salt.

40. Pick sweet potatoes over regular

Sweet potatoes are loaded with betacarotene, which the body can convert to vitamin A – and unlike normal white potatoes, they also count towards your 5-a-day.

41. Choose Tenderstem broccoli

This vibrant veg might taste like regular broccoli but actually contains three times more glucosinolates, phytochemicals that are believed to help reduce the of risk heart disease and certain types of cancer.

42. Swap blanched almonds for the skin-on variety

The skin of almonds contains fibre and antioxidants called polyphenols that can help reduce the level of LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood and reduce the risk of heart disease.

43. Get organised

Spring clean your kitchen cupboards and freezer, and restock with healthy things that will help you make a quick and nutritious meal or snack at the end of a busy day.

44. Replace regular white rice with basmati rice

Basmati rice has a lower glycaemic index (GI) than other varieties, which means that it’s digested more slowly, helping you to feel full for longer and stopping blood sugar levels spiking.

45. Build a better salad

Adding nuts, avocado or an oil-based dressing to your salad will make it easier for your body to absorb any fat-soluble phytochemicals from the salad leaves.

46. Veg boost

Add more vitamins and fibre to dishes such as spaghetti Bolognese, shepherd’s pie and curries by incorporating plenty of veg. This is also a good way to get reluctant veg eaters to eat more.

47. Dish the fish

Dietitians recommend eating two portions of fish each week, one of which should be oil-rich such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and fresh tuna. Omega-3 oils in these fish help to make the blood less sticky, and so may help to prevent blood clots that have the potential to cause a stroke or heart attack.

48. Batch cook

This gives you a stash of healthy home-cooked meals in your freezer for when you don’t have the time or energy to start from scratch.

49. Go for meat-free Mondays

Lean meat can form part of a healthy balanced diet, but you don’t have to eat it every day. Experts agree that a meat-free Monday – or any other day of the week – is good for both you and the environment.

50. Hype your hummus

Add cooked beetroot – beetroot is rich in nitrates that can help to dilate the blood vessels and lower high blood pressure.

51. Pesky pesticides

The Pesticide Action Network UK publishes a ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of the 12 fruit and veg most heavily contaminated with pesticides. Organic produce is farmed without pesticides, so if you can afford to, go organic for these fruit and vegetables:

• Grapefruit
• Soft citrus fruits (mandarins, satsuma)
• Strawberries
• Oranges
• Grapes
• Herbs
• Sultanas and raisins
• Pre-packed salad leaves
• Lemons
• Pears
• Peaches and nectarines
• Spinach

52. Don’t get stuck in a food rut

When was the last time you tried a new recipe or picked up something new in the supermarket? There’s a Japanese proverb that says every new food you introduce into your diet adds seven days to your life.

53 Snack smart

It’s OK to eat between meals providing the snacks you choose are healthy. A good snack should provide between 100-150 calories and make a positive contribution to your diet – so try to choose something rich in vitamins, minerals or fibre, such as a handful of nuts, a couple of oatcakes, yogurt or fresh fruit.

54. Better health by stealth

To reduce fat and boost the fibre in dishes such as spaghetti Bolognese or chilli con carne, choose lean mince and reduce the amount by a third, bulking it up with a can of brown lentils instead. By the time you’ve added other ingredients, such as tomatoes and onions, you won’t notice the difference.

55. Spice things up

New research has found that adding herbs and spices to your diet can help lower your blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke.

56. Ditch crackers for oatcakes

Oatcakes contain twice as much fibre as cream crackers and have a lower glycaemic index (GI), which means they’re digested more slowly, helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

57. Keep chips chunky

Thin chips absorb more oil than fat chips: 150g of thick chips would provide around 351cals and 15g fat, while the same weight of thin chips would contain twice as much fat and an additional 195cals.

58. Wholegrains: make the healthier choice

Eating three or more servings of wholegrains a day – such as wholemeal bread, brown rice or wholegrain breakfast cereals – can cut your risk of stroke in half.

59. Choose cherries for a better night’s sleep

Cherries are naturally rich in the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. A glass of cherry juice (especially tart cherry juice) an hour before bed can help improve sleep duration and quality.

60. Focus on your food

Don’t listen to the radio or watch TV while you’re eating. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when people listened to a detective story while eating they consumed 13 per cent more calories than when they had no distractions.

61. Colour yourself healthy

Picture a rainbow and aim to eat at least one serving of fruit or vegetables from each of the colour bands every day. Naturally occurring phytochemicals give fruit and veg their colour, so by opting to “eat the rainbow”, you’ll get a variety of different phytochemicals that help to protect against health problems such as cancer, heart disease, poor eyesight, urinary tract infections and even wrinkles.

62. Tan your mushrooms not your skin

Leaving mushrooms in sunlight for 30 minutes before you cook them will boost their levels of vitamin D.

63. Shake the salt habit

Adding flavour with chilli, garlic and lemon instead of salt will help you to cut back on the amount of salt in your diet (no more than 6g per day).

64. Think before you drink

Calories in drinks can add up fast, and the body doesn’t register them in the same way as it does those in food. In a study carried out at Purdue University in Indiana, when people were given an extra 450cals a day in the form of jelly beans, they compensated by eating less at meal times. But when the same people were given an extra 450cals in the form of drinks, there was no such reduction.

65. Swap canned tuna for canned salmon

While fresh tuna is rich in omega-3 oils, most of these healthy fats are removed when the fish is canned. When salmon is canned, however, the omega-3s are retained, which means you get the benefit.

66. Shop little and often

Fresh fruit and veg start to lose their freshness and vitamins from the moment they are picked, and the longer they are stored the greater the loss, so buy little and often.

67. Blocked nose?

Try spicing up your cooking – chillies, ginger and wasabi can help relieve nasal congestion.

68. Harness the power of purple

Purple fruit and vegetables – think blackberries and blueberries – get that distinctive colour from a group of phytochemicals called anthocyanins that offer many health benefits, including better brain function. When fresh berries aren’t in season, look for packs of frozen berries that are cheaper and just as good for you. Use them to make smoothies or fruit purée to stir into yogurt.

69. Choose canned fish for calcium

Canned fish, such as pilchards and sardines, are a great storecupboard ingredient and, if you eat their bones, they’re an excellent source of calcium – just one average-sized serving will provide over 50 per cent of the recommended daily amount.

70. Plate up

For a healthy, balanced diet, fill half your plate with vegetables, then 25 per cent protein and 25 per cent carbs.

71. Go nuts

Like all nuts, Brazils are a good source of protein and heart-friendly fats, but what really gives them their superfood status is the impressive amount of selenium they contain. Selenium is a mineral linked to the immune system, fertility and brain function. Many of us don’t get enough, but just five Brazil nuts will provide over 100 per cent of the recommended daily amount.

72. Enjoy your food

After all, food should be a pleasure, not a pain, and research has shown that the more you enjoy your food, the more nutrients your body absorbs from it – it’s a win-win situation.

73. Not a fan of fish?

No problem, but make sure to choose omega-3 enriched eggs to add important heart-healthy oils into your diet. You can boost your intake even further by eating walnuts and flax seeds (see tip 38).

74. Eat by the clock

Eating little and often – three small meals with a couple of healthy snacks – is the best way to keep blood sugar levels stable. When they start to dip, you are more likely to make poor food choices and overeat at mealtimes.

75. Invest in a good heavy-based non-stick pan

Using non-stick pans mean you’ll be able to reduce the amount of oil you need to use. And remember that oil expands once it gets hot, so when you’re softening onions or vegetables you don’t need to add as much as you might think.

76. Keep your good bacteria happy with prebiotics

Onions, bananas, leeks, Jerusalem artichokes and asparagus all contain a special type of fibre that has been shown to encourage the growth of friendly bacteria in your gut.

77. Don’t store tomatoes in the fridge

Tomatoes kept at room temperature contain double the lycopene, a phytochemical that helps protect against heart disease and certain cancers, compared with those stored in the fridge.

78. Souper douper

Studies show that when soup is eaten as the first course of a meal, the total number of calories consumed at that meal is reduced by 20 per cent.

79. Be the first to order

Eating out with a group of friends? When you are the first to order, you are less likely to be swayed if others make not-so-healthy choices.

Healthy eating: Colour-coded food

Some foods let you know their nutritional benefits by standing out from similar varieties.

80. Red peppers

These contain more vitamin C and five times more carotene than green peppers.

81. Gold kiwi

Kiwi contain impressive amounts of vitamin C, but the golden variety contains higher levels of antioxidant polyphenol phytochemicals and around 50 per cent more vitamin C.

82. Pink and red grapefruit

Sweeter than regular grapefruit, these contain 34 per cent more betacarotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.

83. Red onions

These have higher levels of the heart-healthy phytochemicals quercetin and anthocyanin than white varieties – and shallots are even higher.

84. Black grapes

Swap green grapes for black – both are a good source of vitamin C, but black grapes contain higher levels of the antioxidants that help protect against heart disease.

Healthy eating: Perfect partners

There are certain foods and drinks that, when eaten together, not only taste great but give you added health and nutrition benefits.

85. Eggs with salad

In one study, men who ate salad made from tomatoes and carrots absorbed between three and nine times more carotenoids from the salad when it was eaten with an egg.

86. Pork and papaya

Because pork is so lean it can be tough, so try tenderising it – and boosting the flavour – with papaya or pineapple. These fruits contain enzymes – bromelain in pineapple and papain in papaya – which split the proteins in meat, helping to make it tender.

87. Avocado and tomato

The fat in the avocado boosts the absorption of the phytochemical lycopene from tomatoes – one study found absorption was five times higher when the two were eaten together.

88. Broccoli and tomatoes

The cancer-fighting potential of tomatoes and broccoli is enhanced when the two foods are eaten together.

89. Orange juice with beans on toast

The vitamin C in orange juice will make it easier for your body to absorb iron from foods such as beans, lentils and breakfast cereals. Absorption of iron can be increased by over 50 per cent when the two foods are eaten together.

90. Get fruity

Swap some of the butter or margarine in cake and muffin recipes for fruit such as apple sauce or prune purée. Not only does it add moisture and a delicious fruity taste, it boosts the fibre content of the baked goods too. Simply replace half the amount of fat in the original recipe with the fruit purée.

91. Bigger is not always better

Cherry tomatoes contain higher levels of flavonols, antioxidants believed to help protect against heart disease, stroke and cancer, than beefsteak or normal-sized varieties.

92. Take a supplement of the sunshine vitamin during the winter

In summer the body can make vitamin D by the action of sunlight on skin, but in autumn and winter, even on a sunny day, the sun is at the wrong angle to allow the body to make this vitamin. So from September to March, take a supplement of 10mcg vitamin D per day.

93. The future is orange

One of the best things you can do to keep skin looking great is to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits. These are a great source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps to neutralise free radicals, which cause ageing and wrinkling.

94. The big chill

Make soups and casseroles the day before you need them and store them overnight in the fridge. Fat will rise to the surface, making it easier for you to remove it before reheating. Plus, many dishes often taste even better the day after, as the flavours have more time to develop.

95. Soak up the fat

Blot deep-fried food with kitchen roll before serving it to remove any excess oil. Soaking up just one teaspoon of oil will save you 30cals and 3g fat!

96. Take your supplements with food

Most supplements are better absorbed if you take them with a meal, especially something containing a little fat.

97. Slow down

It takes 15 minutes for your brain to receive messages from your stomach saying it’s full. If you eat quickly, you can overeat before your brain realises you’ve had enough.

98. Swap honeydew melon for watermelon

Watermelon gets its colour from lycopene, a phytochemical that helps protect against heart disease and some types of cancer.

99. Boost your good gut bacteria with fermented foods

The friendly bacteria living in our gut are vital for a healthy immune system, but the balance of good and bad bacteria is easily upset if we don’t eat the right food. Supplement yours by regularly eating fermented foods including yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi and sauerkraut.

100. Don’t be afraid of the dark

Darker, more strongly flavoured salad leaves such as rocket, spinach and watercress, have higher levels of vitamins and phytochemicals than paler leaves. Watercress contains 12 times more vitamin C and three times more iron than ordinary white lettuce.

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Originally Appeared Here

Regular home care involves a certain amount of organising and a whole lot of dusting: a chore many may be averse to. However, even with regular cleaning, there may be certain spots that you probably are missing out on.

As the world reports a significant increase in the number of Omicron infections, cleanliness is of paramount importance. We have curated the 3 most common places in your home that may need cleaning. Take a look below:

Are you cleaning surfaces enough? (Source: Pexels)

Doorknobs, handles, switches

Some of the most touched surfaces in a household, you may need to reconsider how you clean doorknobs, door handles, window handles, light and other switches, as dust, grime and bacteria can flourish there. Sanitise them with disinfectant wipes or an anti-bacterial solution. You can also use spray bottles for easier application. UNICEF recommended “a disinfectant product containing alcohol (of around 70 per cent) or bleach.” Vinegar and other natural products are not recommended.

In and around laundry baskets

Dirty or used clothes can be a source of uncleanliness and a breeding ground for bacteria. Consider disinfecting your laundry bag on a regular basis to avoid any contamination on clothes. A few other similar measures include removing your shoes when you step inside your home and changing into clean clothes after being in crowded places.

Kitchen sink

You may think that you are already cleaning your kitchen sink enough— but there’s always an extra mile that you can go, which will keep your sink sparkling clean. With food particles, both raw and cooked, or those behind after washing dishes, the kitchen sink is a breeding ground for bacteria if left unchecked. However, cleaning it once a day with a solution of bleach and water and pouring that down the pipe is a surefire way of cleaning it. You can use a surface disinfectant to rinse the sink along with a dedicated, grooved brush with hard bristles to ensure a thorough clean, every time!

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!

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Originally Appeared Here

At 2022 Olympics, China uses Closed Loop to keep Beijing Games safeNews Sports Entertainment Life Money Tech Travel Opinion

BEIJING – It wasn’t the 32-hour trip here from Atlanta with a stopover in Paris – literally flying the wrong way around the world – that underscored the strangeness of what awaits visitors at these 2022 Winter Olympics.

It wasn’t the workers in full hazmat suits waiting to process us at the airport, looking more like guards from Squid Games than the friendly Olympic volunteers we are used to seeing. It wasn’t the cotton swab stuck so far up my nasal cavity that it probably rearranged some gray matter. It wasn’t even arriving at a hotel surrounded by barricades only to be prevented from entering the lobby until every piece of luggage was sprayed with disinfectant.

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It’s early February, which means it’s the middle of winter but also the middle of flu season.

Although it hasn’t been officially declared if flu season has peaked, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reports flu cases have “decreased in recent weeks but is still elevated nationally. While flu is unpredictable, flu activity is expected to continue for several weeks.”

In our area, we know of many who had flu symptoms that lasted not just days but weeks. It was/is a lingering malady that kept many out of commission.

If you were one of the lucky ones to have escaped being sick this winter, congratulations. If you want to remain flu-free or if you have had it and want to avoid a relapse, there are many ways to avoid catching it.

One of the main ways is to get a flu shot, which are still widely available at drug stores, your doctor’s office or at a county health department. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine “as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses,” and everyone 6 months and older should get an annual flu vaccine.

Flu vaccines help to reduce the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths on the health care system each year and are on particular importance in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. This season, all flu vaccines are designed to protect against the four flu viruses that research indicates will be most common.

The CDC says the best way to avoid it and the flu is:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• If you are sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

• Cover coughs and sneezes.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.

• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with viruses that cause flu.

• For flu, CDC recommends that people stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities. Fever should be gone without the need to use a fever-reducing medicine. Note that the stay-at-home guidance for COVID-19 may be different. Learn about some of the similarities and differences between flu and COVID-19.

• In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, local governments or public health departments may recommend additional precautions be taken in your community.

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With COVID-19 surging through Cincinnati earlier this month, hospitals stressed to the max, and health workers facing a ‘PTSD-like situation’ with the emergence of another contagious wave of the disease, Brian Wolterman received a call. 

He had just returned to the Ohio National Guard after a 20-year hiatus a few months prior. On the other line was his new supervisor with the guard. His assistance was needed. 

Inside Cincinnati’s hospitals: COVID-19 creates ‘PTSD-like situation’

More:COVID-19 surge: Signs emerge that omicron’s grip is easing as hospitals stay under stress

More:Ohio’s top doctor says there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for COVID-19 omicron wave

“At first I told them I kind of wanted to think about it because I wanted to talk to my wife, she had a pretty big say in it,” the 48-year-old Harrison, Ohio native said. “But I spoke to her and she said ‘Brian, you should do this.’ And I called my supervisor back and said ‘Sir, I’d like to volunteer.'”

Seeing the mission as a call-of-duty to help his community amid the spread of the omicron variant, Wolterman, a staff sergeant with the air national guard, joined the mission of nearly 200 other guard members to assist with hospitals and testing sites in the Cincinnati region. 

Highly contagious and severely spread around the community, the latest variant overflowed the area’s health system once again beginning in late December of last year and into January. Wolterman arrived at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Jan. 24. He began assisting stressed health workers with patient and non-patient duties including stocking personal protective equipment to stations, transporting supplies, disinfecting surfaces and aiding nurses or staff members in providing care to patients. 

“When I’m doing this stuff that means other people are free to focus on the patient,” Wolterman said. “The hospitals are very busy places right now.”

Gov. Mike DeWine first deployed the guard to assist with the spread of the latest wave of COVID-19 throughout the state on Dec. 17. He has sent out more than 2,300 members statewide to provide help to hospitals and test sites with ancillary tasks that help clear up the system. Members arrived in Cleveland in late December, assisting hospitals during the virus’s rapid spread in Cuyahoga County, but as the virus spread elsewhere across the state, so too did guardsmen.

Members first arrived in the Cincinnati area on Jan. 10 at three test sites to try to meet the skyrocketing demand for testing. Fifty guard members are currently assisting with testing while 50 others are working at the Christ Hospital Health System and 90 more are assisting UCMC. 

‘Taxing at any individual level’

When many members, like Sgt. 1st Class Tim Birmingham, arrived at hospitals in the region, they were met with a system at its brink, in dire need of some relief. 

“We see the standard ratio of medical personnel where they would have two or four patients under normal conditions,” said Birmingham, who leads a team of guard members at the Christ Hospital. “And the timing of the influx with everyone coming in sometimes exceeds those numbers. So that’s really the importance of having the additional soldiers and airmen on board.” 

Birmingham leads a team that has its footprint everywhere in the hospital, from supply movement to sanitary duties to dealing with COVID patients themselves. He’s observed a hospital operating with an all-hands-on-deck approach but feels assistance from guard members is alleviating some of the stress. 

“When it’s coming at you at such a rapid pace, it’s certainly frustrating and taxing at any individual level,” Birmingham said. “From the military side when we’re doing what we’re doing, right down to the civilians and the trauma clinics when they have one patient after another, after another. Of course it’s going to be taxing to them. But that’s what they do all their training for, to be able to exceed expectations and provide the appropriate level of health care.”

“What I am observing is that a lot of them are really stepping up to the task,” he added of both guard members and health workers.  

The task is daunting, but the assistance is working, Birmingham said. And the numbers suggest the region is improving with COVID-19 as well. As of Monday, hospitalizations – which had lingered above 1,000 for most of January – dropped to 773. The positivity rate, which was previously above 30% has fallen to 23.1% and the percentage of occupied adult ICU beds in the region’s 40 hospitals was at 98%. 

Calling the assistance from the guard an “additional layer of support” for the hospital, Deborah Hayes, president and chief executive officer of the Christ Hospital Health Network, said the guard has been crucial in maintaining normal hospital operations over the past few weeks in a video announcing they had arrived in the region. 

“We’ve been very grateful to have the Ohio National Guard here at Christ Hospital Health Network,” she said. “…They have been extraordinarily helpful in both our clinical areas and in all of our support areas.”

“The national guard is a wave of fresh eyes and fresh energy,” she added. 

Call to action

On any given day, Sgt. 1st Class McKinzie Baker sees anywhere from a few hundred to over a thousand individuals waiting in line to become tested at Crossroads Church in Mason. 

“It’s always nice to be called up for humanitarian efforts,” the 43-year-old Cincinnati native said. “Often times we are pulled into situations where we don’t get to help our fellow citizens, so it’s nice to help the community that’s local to us.” 

Baker has been assisting the site hosted by Newport, Kentucky-based Ethos Laboratories with day-to-day tasks such as prepping materials and swabbing patients. The deployment of the guard has not only helped hospitals staffs maintain patient care. But it has assisted test sites with enough manpower to distribute tests in a timely fashion. 

In early January, testing became harder and harder to come by and individuals in the region often waited a few hours to get one. The guard’s deployment has drive-thru sites expand into more lanes and with increased staff, speed up the process of distributing tests. 

“The patients that come through are happy we’re there because some of them have told us they’ve tried to get tests before and it was really difficult,” Baker said. “It’s good to know they can come in and not have to wait for an hour-plus to get tested.”

Lt. Corey Daria, a 30-year-old Cincinnati-native deployed to the drive-thru testing site near Riverbend Music Center, has witnessed a similar situation but said trends can be a rollercoaster. 

“It’s really just been sporadic out here,” Daria said. 

‘This is the exact reason why I signed up’

While they see it as their mission to respond to emergency situations and alleviate health workers battling capacity issues, many guard members are motivated by one other factor. It hits home. 

Responding to areas where they grew up after seeing people they know die from the virus that has killed close to 90,000 Americans is a call to action they weren’t going to turn down. And many are in the front lines battling to eradicate it. 

“I think it’s really priceless,” Birmingham said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to come here where we’re making a direct impact to our neighbors, our Ohioans that we support.”

Health workers and the community, in general, have met their response with praise, Birmingham said. 

“I’m really seeing a lot of smiles a lot of hugs of gratitude that we’re there to help,” he said. “I really think that’s vital to be able to come together like that.” 

Wolterman, who began assisting a hospital in northern Ohio before making his way to assist near his hometown, said he’s been in many situations that are all-hands-on-deck over the years but has never seen anything like what hospitals are going through currently. 

“I find it very inspirational,” he said of their efforts. 

Daria was briefed on the situation unfolding in Cincinnati and didn’t hesitate to leap into duty. He wanted to protect his people. 

“This is the exact reason why I signed up for the guard,” he said. “Ohioans helping Ohioans, Cincinnatians helping Cincinnatians.”

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Originally Appeared Here