Tips to Avoid Holiday Illnesses and Injuries

Santa Claus

Tips to Avoid Holiday Illnesses and Injuries

The Holiday Season is a time of joy and cheers, and for creating beautiful memories with loved ones. But if you are not careful, you can get injured during this busy time. Instead of laughing all the way, you will be dashing into an emergency room.

Luckily, the experts at Altus Emergency are available to share some safety tips and to get your health back on track if you need it so you can enjoy your holiday season.

Holiday Illnesses and Injuries

Unfortunately, holiday-related injuries are more common than any of us would like. According to an annual report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

  • Emergency rooms in America attended 206,400 toy-related injuries in 2018
  • Sadly, 2 children died as a result of their toy-related injury

According to the NFPA.org:

  • “Ranges or cooktops were involved in 61% of reported home cooking fires, 87% of cooking fire deaths, and 78% of cooking fire injuries.”

The CPCS.gov admits that there are approximately 200 Christmas decorating-related injuries a day during the holidays.

woman with a runny nose

Holiday Safety Tips

Nothing would make us happier than to see all of you happy and healthy spending the Holidays at home. While accidents don’t make any exceptions, there are ways to minimize your risk of injury or illness.

Follow these helpful tips to remain injury-free during Christmas, after Christmas, and New Year’s.

Food Safety Tips

Let’s begin food safety by making an attempt to not overeat during this festive time, we know it’s hard but at least try. While at first an upset stomach may not be considered to be counted as an example of a holiday illness and injuries, it may be the sign of something more complex. The following are some food safety tips that will help prevent a potential food-related emergency:

  • Keep your hands and kitchen surfaces clean
  • Keep raw meats, fish, and eggs away from ready-to-eat foods
  • Cook foods to the proper temperature
  • Put leftovers in the fridge immediately
family having a holiday dinner

Know Where to Go in Case of an Emergency.

Prevent the Spread of The Common Cold and Flu

  • Avoid hugging, kissing, or being close to someone that is coughing or has a runny nose
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
  • Stay home from work, school, or social gatherings when you are sick

Kitchen Safety Tips

  • During the Holidays, we spend more time in the kitchen, and that increases our risk of getting hurt there. To help prevent cooking-related injuries, keep in mind these tips.
  • Don’t leave food unattended when cooking
  • Remember to slice away from your hand
  • Focus on the task at hand. Distractions cause injuries
  • Avoid wearing loose clothing while cooking
  • Keep dish towels and food packaging away from heat sources to prevent them from catching on fire
family gathering at Christmas

Preventing Holiday Decorating-Related Injuries

Prepping your home for the Holidays can also pose a health hazard. To minimize your risk of injury, remember the following:

  • Don’t let anyone inhale artificial snow sprays, as these can irritate the lungs
  • Avoid Holiday decorations that are sharp and breakable
  • Make sure you use the correct type of decorative lights for your outdoor decorations
  • Always have someone help you put up decorations, especially if you are using a ladder
  • Check all your Christmas lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, and loose connections
father and daughter decorating a christmas tree

No matter how careful or prepared you think you are, accidents still happen. For that reason, all our facilities will remain open 24/7 during this Holiday Season.

Altus Emergency Room Baytown

More Similar Posts