Influenza The National Epidemic

Media outlets across the U.S. are reporting on the 2017/2018 flu season – and the news is scary. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that this is one of the worst flu seasons in recent history. In the first week of January, out of every 100,000 hospitalizations in the U.S, almost 28% were for the flu.

You could spend days researching and reading the latest news on this season’s flu (a few are listed below to save you time). They all say the same thing: it’s an epidemic. But what you may not find is that serious infections (flu, MRSA, staph, and others) are lurking and waiting in places, like gyms, fitness centers, and yoga and pilates studios – all year round.

When working out at your favorite spot, make sure you are taking extra precautions this year to clean equipment BEFORE you use it. Weights, cardio machines, mats, and facilities like locker rooms, saunas, and pools all are breeding grounds for infections like the flu. After your workout, scrub your hands, shower immediately, and wash your clothes as soon as possible.

If your children play a sport, take stock of how their gear is cleaned and stored. Sports equipment that is shared between athletes is at a higher risk of cross contamination. Don’t let an infection sideline your athlete from school or their sport. Talk with your children (and make sure they listen, ahem, teenagers) about proper sports hygiene:

Shower with soap and water immediately after practice/games/matches
Do not share personal hygiene items (bar soap, towels, razors), clothing or water bottles
Ensure any cuts/scrapes are cleaned and dressed properly before and after practice/games
Do not store sweaty or wet gear/clothing in lockers, gym bag, or closets
Treat equipment after each game or practice with a disinfecting spray, like Clear Gear

This time of year, we all want to start healthy eating and workout habits to meet those New Year’s resolutions. Add one more healthy habit to your routine – disinfect your equipment with Clear Gear Spray for an infection-free season. Not sure how to keep equipment clean? We can help there too with our how-tos for different types of equipment.

Recent infection news: