Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County

Lessen the Spread of Flu in the Home
(4/29/09)

Flu viruses are mainly spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with the flu. Germs can also be spread when a person touches something that has germs on it (e.g. a desk, phone, door knob) and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands. When providing care to a person who is sick with the flu, be sure to protect yourself and others who are not sick by washing your hands often with soap and water and following these recommendations:

Implement social distancing at home

• Keep the sick person in a room separate from the common areas of the home and keep the door closed.
• Have the sick person use a separate bathroom if possible.
• This bathroom should be cleaned daily with a household disinfectant such as bleach. Have the sick person wear a surgical mask when in a common area of the home.
• Have only one person in the home take care of the sick person if possible.
  
  Protect other persons in the home from becoming ill
• Ensure all persons in the home thoroughly wash their hands with soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently. This is especially important for the sick person after coughing and/or sneezing.
• Use paper towels for drying hands after hand washing or assign each person in the home a separate cloth towel (e.g. have different colored towels for each person).
  
  Protect yourself from becoming ill
• Avoid close, face-to-face contact with the sick person.
• Remind the sick person to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of the elbow.
• When holding small children who are sick, place their chin on your shoulder so that they will not cough into your face.
• Throw away tissues and other disposable items used by the sick person in the trash. Wash your hands after touching used tissues and similar waste.
  
  Good housekeeping helps everyone
• Keep surfaces clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to the directions on the product label.
• Linens, eating utensils, and dishes used by a sick person do not need to be cleaned separately, but should be washed with soap and water before being used by others in the home.

www.hcphes.org