SnowbirdAlert Ever wonder why you often get sick during the transition between fall and winter? Colds and flu are very contagious and can spread quickly and easily, especially as we move indoors and spend more time closer together. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy and fight cold and flu this fall: Get vaccinated. The best thing you can do to prevent the flu is to get your flu vaccine every year. Flu viruses change each year and experts create a new vaccine to protect you each flu season. You cannot get the flu from the vaccine. Hand-washing. Washing your hands is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infections. You can spread certain germs just by touching another person, and catch them when you touch contaminated objects or surfaces and then touch your face. Keep shared surfaces clean. Practise proper hand-washing by using an adequate amount of plain soap, rubbing your hands together to create friction and rinsing under running water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner. Sleep right. Have you ever gotten sick after a week or two of staying up late, only to feel like you have yourself to blame? Sleeping well helps make us healthier and getting your seven-nine hours can do more for your health than you may realize. Sleeping the right amount keeps your immune system healthier, stress levels down and helps your body repair itself. De-stress. Long-term stress puts extra wear and tear on your body, dampening your immune system and keeping you from fighting off illnesses. Studies show that a few simple behaviours can have amazing results in keeping your stress levels low. Unwinding with a hobby, exercising regularly and spending time with friends may help keep your stress levels in check. Take antibiotics as directed by your health-care provider. Remember that antibiotics are only effective in treating bacterial infections and not cold and flu viruses. Taking antibiotics for a cold or the flu won›t help you get better and can contribute to antibiotic resistance. You can also reduce the risks of antibiotic resistance by preventing infection or the spread of infection. Wash your hands often, keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth, cough or sneeze into your sleeve, keep your vaccinations up to date and stay at home if you’re sick. Find more information online at canada.ca/flu. Snowbirds planning to drive Interstate-75 to Florida this year, and cross at Windsor, Ontario, should be aware that the southbound lanes just below the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit are closed to all traffic until fall of 2018. The 23-kilometre (14-mile) stretch of the interstate is a major construction site to accommodate bridge replacements and other major repair projects. Apart from some lane restrictions, the northbound lanes are unaffected. Snowbirds crossing at Sarnia and using I-75 through Detroit will be similarly affected. After the border inspection at the bridge, the Michigan Department of Transport has posted detour signs using local interstates to help you around this closure. The detour, however, is time-sensitive since it becomes very busy from 2:30-7:30 p.m. during the week, as rush hour traffic departing from downtown Detroit uses the same route. The detour adds an extra 39 kilometres (24 miles) to your journey, an additional driving time of about 31 minutes. Tips to avoid catching a cold or the flu this fall www.newscanada.com Dave Hunter, author of Along Interstate-75, has prepared detailed maps of a better and shorter detour. Readers with the current 19th edition should visit the book’s update website; see page 3 of the book for the website link. Interstate-75 southbound lane construction in Detroit 6 | www.snowbirds.org
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