Until recently, I was skeptical of the H1N1 virus that has been getting all sorts of hype in the media.
The story of the La Ronge girl who has battled with various health issues in her short 6 ½ years and was never able to speak, walk, or eat without being tube fed caught my attention. She contracted and died of H1N1 in the Saskatoon Health Care System. Her family is not blaming anyone or pointing fingers, but they are advocates for increased awareness and for setting an example of prevention efforts.
Her father, the general manager of a busy La Ronge Hotel, has come up with many ways to help prevent the spread of H1N1 in Saskatchewan. Between him and his staff, they came up with at least 30 ways to help prevent the spread of H1N1.
We all need to step up if we see people coughing, sneezing etc without covering their mouths at all or not properly covering their mouths (with their sleeve, shoulder, anything BUT their hands as that is one of the ways any air born disease can spread).
Walk away, in the opposite direction, from someone who doesnt cover their mouth.
Speak up! If you are in the bathroom and see people not washing their hands or washing them properly, dont care how you look but tell them! It is only education that can help prevent the spread of diseases in general.
Carry disinfectant on you and use it often.
Spray door handles in your home, office, anywhere you can!
At one Saskatoon open house an agent from Century 21 in Saskatoon told us about his experience with his clients. The people, whose house for sale in Saskatoon, actually put a chair at the front door with hand sanitizer and a note reading If you wish to view our home, you must sanitize your hands before entering. I thought this was very smart as, being a realtor in Saskatoon, there are so many times we are in and out of 10 houses or more in a day and constantly being bombarded with germs. I carry hand sanitizer in my car and use it often; also use it to wipe down my car steering wheel, handles, gear shift, radio buttons, etc. As a real estate agent in Saskatoon we are constantly in contact with people and shaking hands, it is a part of business.
I often offer hand disinfectant to my clients who are buying houses for sale in Saskatoon as it is generally in my car and some houses are not that clean! Some houses for sale in Saskatoon appear clean, but you cant see those germs until it is too late.
So, the lesson is: dont aid in the spread of H1N1 or any other disease, take care to wash your hands, cover your mouth properly, and disinfect yourself and family members and any physical locations you can.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.