Reduce Your Risk of Getting Sick Video

Air date: Sept. 13, 2010

For more information: Flu Care

Transcript

Bridget Naso, KUSI Morning Anchor: Fall's here and that means winter is around the corner: a time when germs spread like crazy. Here to help us reduce our risk of getting sick is Dr. Andres Smith. You work in the ER at Sharp Hospital?

Dr. Smith, Emergency Medicine Medical Director: Yes, I do, in the South Bay.

Bridget: And you're already seeing cases of the flu?

Dr. Smith: It's the beginning. We're starting to see a little trickle of cases come in, not severe, and we're not expecting to have anything like last year.

Bridget: Right, with the H1N1. But this year, the vaccine does have kind of a combination of things in it that will help address both?

Dr. Smith: You're correct and I would like to emphasize that it's very important that people that were vaccinated last year need to be vaccinated again. It's a different consistency this year and it's going to have part of the swine flu, but also it's going to have the seasonal flu. So it's very important because there might be people that say, "Well, I had it last year, so I don't need it again," and no, that's not the case. Now, the people that need to be vaccinated are going to be from six months to adulthood, so it's very important that people are aware of this.

Bridget: OK, so a whole change when it comes to the vaccine. We'll have more on a free clinic coming up, but you also have some other great ideas to avoid getting sick in the first place and ending up in the ER where you are. You talk about something called advanced hygiene and I find it so interesting some of the things that you say really contribute to us getting sick.

Dr. Smith: That's correct. I think we gained or learned a lot from last year that people are more conscious and aware of what they need to do. Like if you're sneezing, it's very important that you cover yourself. Or if you have a towel or anything like that, cover yourself with that so that you don't give it to someone else. It's very important that you do that.

Bridget: A lot of people have the antibacterial wipes all around. We really saw a lot of that last year. People were really hypersensitive to it, but you say also, you really want to be careful when washing your hands and get down to the nitty-gritty, even in the nails.

Dr. Smith: Trim your nails very short, clean and very good.

Bridget: Germs, really, is that where they get in there?

Dr. Smith: They can hide, which is very important.

Bridget: And you also say diet is huge when it comes to not getting sick, particularly a couple of different vitamins.

Dr. Smith: There was a study that was very interesting that suggested that having or taking high doses of vitamin D is actually very good and almost like getting the vaccination.

Bridget: Really?

Dr. Smith: So what does that mean? It is recommended to consume fruits that are high in vitamin D, obviously milk and also fish, which has a high concentration in vitamin D. And the other thing that is very important, especially in children, is you need the sunlight to absorb vitamin D, so it's very good to take children outside for them to be in the sunshine.

Bridget: All right, lastly, you have to get a lot of sleep and we're going to get some information on the screen for people who are interested in the free clinic. You have a free clinic at Chula Vista for vaccines?

Dr. Smith: It is going to be this coming Saturday, it's going to be at nine in the morning, and it's going to be free, open to the public, and we're going to be starting vaccinations with the age of 10.

Bridget: But you're saying go to your doctor six months or up?

Dr. Smith: That's right, but at our hospital, it's only going to be for 10 years old and above.

Bridget: Dr. Andres Smith, thank you so much, Sharp Hospital, great advice, good reminder, especially right now.

Dr. Smith: Thank you.