You vs. Flu....Chemical Warfare

Are you scared? If you're scared, say you're scared. Not only is flu season on our doorsteps, it is a flu season like one we've never known. Doctors and scientists alike have been befuddled by the shifting from the norm that the flu virus has been exhibiting, and there is no real way to know what is causing it, or if we can continue to treat it as we have in years past. Numerous schools around the country have already closed their doors to wait out the illness. Children are dying daily now, not only from the H1N1 virus, but other strains of flu, as well.

What can we do? What can we do? We have to declare war, of course, and use chemical warfare to help eradicate the enemy. This is no small feat, and it can indeed be creepy to have to think about, but we better face it. If we do not kill the enemy, it is going to grow stronger and more invasive. It will mutate into more damning entities, and it will create many more problems for mankind if we just do nothing.

So.... Are you ready? Break out the bleach. Bleach generally costs about $2 per gallon, and goes a long, long way to preventing and killing disease. Clorox, the bleach experts, recommend 1 tablespoon of bleach for every gallon of water. In my own home, I take it a step further and use around a 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon. (Germs, bugs, bacteria and disease really disturb me, and must die.)

When your bleach and water are mixed to your preference, as long as there is at least one tablespoon of bleach, you can use either a bowl of the mix or a spray bottle (spray bottles are handier, more efficient), to proceed with warfare. Keep this handy, because war is an ongoing process. You cannot go into battle one time and be assured that you have effectively killed the enemy. It will be necessary to attack daily, if not twice daily (for very active families), to ensure your safety.

With the mixture, wipe down surfaces. Now, surfaces might seem to be a bit of a broad term, but it truly is all-inclusive. Every tiny inch of surface that has even been -thought- about getting touched, wipe it. Car door handles, car seats, doorknobs, countertops, tabletops, toilets, cell phones, baseball bat, credit cards, anything at all that has potentially been exposed to any other surface that might have been contaminated also stands to be contaminated. Money...cold hard cash is likely to be one of the fastest ways germs spread. Wash it, too!

Stay on top of your laundry. Letting laundry build up and pile up provides a breeding ground for bacteria, germs, diseases, and viruses. If one person sneezed on you in the elevator, chances are that blouse has 82 enemies on it, and they are multiplying like rabbits. Yikes!!!

Don't forget to wash your hands, too. All too often people think "they'll just get dirty again" or "who cares", but it is a critical action that demands your attention. It only takes a few seconds, and it needs to be done at least 10 times a day, twice that if you are working with the public.

These three things are no small feat, but they are absolutely critical to your health and well-being as we face a particularly sinister future.