PSA #1: Regarding Headlights
Some of you are lucky enough to own cars that sense available light and automatically turn on their own headlights.
Perhaps you’ve grown so dependent on said mechanism that you don’t even know how to turn on your headlights manually.
Well, please pull out your car’s manual and let’s review.
Because I’ve got a public service announcement for YOU:
Darkness is not the only reason to turn on your headlights.
Other circumstances that make headlights necessary include conditions of low visibility due to falling or blowing snow, fog, or sunset.
While you might not need your headlights to see the road, the drivers opposite need your headlights to see you.
Please, think through whether you need your headlights this winter–and drive safely!
PSA #2: Regarding Upper Respiratory Infections (URIs)
While a doctor was rounding in one of our Grand Island facilities, I overheard a bit of information that might be useful.
This doctor said that she hasn’t seen too many cases of influenza yet this year, but EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM occurred in individuals who had received the flu shot.
This suggests that this year’s strain of influenza is not covered by the shot–which means we all need to be cautious to prevent the spread of the virus.
So…
If you or someone in your family develops symptoms of an upper respiratory infection (coughing, sneezing, head congestion, etc.) accompanied by a fever (generally >100 degrees), please do everyone a favor and STAY HOME.
Be especially cautious about exposing children, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems (people who have AIDS or are on chemo, for instance) to this.
When you go to your doctor with symptoms of influenza, you’ll probably be asked to put on a face mask immediately when entering the building in order to guard against infecting others.
Please pay attention to these precautions.
Other than that, as always, wash your hands thoroughly after sneezing, coughing, using the restroom, or changing diapers and before preparing food or eating.
When one line of defense (the flu shot) breaks down, we all have to do our part to keep our overall defenses high.
Please, for your sake and that of your friends and neighbors, do your part to prevent the spread of influenza.
I so agree about the headlights. I think people turn them on based on whether they can see and forget to think about whether others can see them. Rain, fog, twilight, even an overcast day can make other cars hard to see. If in any doubt it is better to turn them on.
I do wish that people would stay home when sick. My daughter-in-law works at a day care where someone brought in a child with a 103 fever. Unbelievable.
If I forget to turn the lights on in these circumstances, I use other cars as a reminder. I always figure if I’m having trouble seeing cars coming towards me that don’t have lights on (or if they all have them on already), I’d better turn my lights on because they are also having trouble seeing me.