Winter weather and mass transit: Tips for a safe commute

WMATA riders exit train into snow shower.
Photo: Patrick Benko/APHA

Many of us use public transportation to get to school and work. During the winter, it’s especially important to stay aware, because winter weather can hit unexpectedly and complicate your daily commute.

In our latest podcast, APHA’s Get Ready campaign speaks with Caroline Laurin, manager of media relations and deputy chief spokeswoman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, about the importance of being prepared for winter weather during your commute via mass transit. The transit authority is responsible for bus and metro-rail service in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region and is the second largest transit system in terms of the number of daily riders.

“Whenever you have a commute in unfortunate weather, it’s always best to plan ahead,” Laurin says. “We encourage our customers to dress warmly and give themselves extra time because trains might be running a little delayed and you don’t want to get late to wherever it is you are heading.”

Snow and ice build-up can affect bus and train routes and throw a wrench into your usual commute. It’s a good idea to know an alternate way to get to and from your destination before setting out. Generally, you can look up multiple, alternate routes from your transportation provider’s website.

“Being familiar with your surroundings and your transportation service is a good idea,” Laurin says. “It will never hurt to know that if you can’t get home using your usual route, another bus line may get you home.”

Your commute may involve waiting outdoors for a bus or train, especially if the weather causes delays. Remember that when you are in cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can produce it. To prevent heat loss, dress warmly in moisture-resistant layers, including jackets, coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots.

“If you have the option and can get to where you are going before the worst of the weather hits and if you have enough warning, that is something we would encourage,” Laurin says. “However, we do understand that weather can hit unexpectedly or more fiercely than anticipated.”

Listen to our podcast with Laurin online now. For more tips, check out our Get Ready winter preparedness fact sheets.

Washing your hands with cooler water can be better for the environment

Have you ever been told that it’s better to wash your hands with hot water? According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University, using clean running water at a cooler temperature can be just as effective — and it can be better for the environment, too.
 
While it’s true that heat kills bacteria, the temperature needed to kill germs on your hands could burn you. That means that there may be no real benefit to washing your hands with hot water. In fact, using a really high temperature can irritate your skin, which can make bacteria stay on your hands.
 
So why do folks use hot water if it’s not killing germs? One reason is that many hand soaps tend to work better with warmer water. Another reason may be that they’ve always done it that way and just don’t know any better!

 

So how does using cooler water help the environment, you may ask? The fact is that heating water takes energy. Creating energy — such as through burning fossil fuels like such as coal, natural gas and oil — can lead to the release of gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, known as greenhouse gases. Increasing levels of greenhouse gases raise global temperatures leading to climate change.

 

So does that mean you should only use really, really cold water to wash your hands? That might not be a good idea either. It takes awhile to wash your hands properly, and that’s hard to do when the water is freezing cold. Your best bet is to pick a temperature somewhere in the middle that feels comfortable to you.

 

The key thing is to make sure that you’re washing your hands properly. This means that you are scrubbing, rinsing and drying your hands several times a day, particularly before eating and after using the bathroom. Here are some tips, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Wet your hands with running water. Remember to immediately turn off the tap to make sure you’re not wasting water.
• Apply soap and rub your hands together. Make sure to clean the back of your hands, under your nails and between your fingers, and continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

For more tips, check out our Get Ready hand-washing page, which features fact sheets in both English and Spanish.

Get ready for the Super Bowl!

Photo: NFL

Although most Americans will watch the Super Bowl indoors, more than 80,000 lucky football fans will get to see the big game in person in New Jersey on Feb. 2. With this year’s Super Bowl being played in a huge outdoor stadium — with temperatures there expected to be in the 20s and 30s on Sunday — now’s a good time for a refresher on how to be prepared.
 
Whether you’re watching a professional football game in a stadium or attending a local sports event this winter, chances are you’ll be exposed to cold weather for a long period of time. If you’re not prepared, you can be subject to dangerous and even life-threatening conditions such as frostbite and hypothermia.
 
When you’re going to be outdoors for a long time in cold weather, make plans to dress warmly and in tightly woven layers to prevent heat loss, and pay special attention to your hands and feet. Choose moisture-resistant coats, jackets, hats, gloves and other cold weather gear, as wet clothes increase the chance of heat loss. Drinking warm beverages such as apple cider or broth can help too, but stay away from alcoholic or caffeinated drinks, which cause your body to lose heat even faster.
 
Another thing to keep in mind during the big game? The crowds. When many people gather in the same place at once, it’s important to think of your safety. Here are some tips, courtesy of our Get Ready fact sheet on mass events:

• Gather information about the event in advance, including what you are allowed to bring to the venue, and approximately how long it will last.
• Collect your supplies, including hand sanitizer, a map of the event location and surrounding area and enough money to purchase warm beverages for the cold weather.
• Be aware of your surroundings, and take note of all of the exits and the closest first-aid station.

It’s also good to be prepared for the unexpected. The blackout during last year’s Super Bowl taught us to be prepared for more than just crowds and weather. Power outages are common in winter, so it’s always good to have a plan for when the lights unexpectedly go out.
 
Whether or not you plan to brave the cold for the big game, being prepared will ensure that you have a fun and safe Super Bowl Sunday!

Guest blog: Cold and flu symptoms? Double-check, don’t double up

With flu season underway, the Know Your Dose campaign educates people about the safe and effective use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in many over-the-counter flu medicines. Today’s guest blog comes from Kathleen Wilson, PhD, ARNP-C, who is active with the campaign, and reminds people to take care when taking flu medicines.

 

Wilson is a board-certified family and pediatric nurse practitioner with 28 years of experience in providing care for patients of all ages. She has held positions in education, practice, research, administration and consultancies with extensive experience in adolescent health, behavioral health, management of children and youth with special needs and community program development. She practices in Tallahassee, Fla.

 

APHA is an organizational partner of the Know Your Dose campaign.

Each year, the most common question my patients ask about cold and flu season is how to avoid getting a cold or flu. Everyone has their favorite remedies and techniques for keeping germs at bay, and frequent hand-washing and use of sanitizer do help. Of course, getting your flu vaccination is important as well. But despite taking precautions to ward off the sniffles, it’s hard to avoid catching a cold or flu. Americans catch an estimated 1 billion colds every year, and roughly 20 percent get the flu.

 

In the coming months, the majority of people will find themselves at the local pharmacy searching for an over-the-counter medicine to relieve their symptoms. One trip down the cold and flu aisle will show you that there are countless medicines available, and what people often don’t realize is how many of their trusted cold and flu medicines contain the most common drug ingredient in America: acetaminophen. It is found in more than 600 over-the-counter and prescription medicines, including pain relievers, fever reducers and sleep aids, as well as many cough and cold medicines.

 

Acetaminophen is safe and effective when used as directed, but taking more than directed is an overdose and can lead to liver damage. So, I remind my patients that it is always important to read and follow the labels to know the ingredients in the medicines they take, particularly if they are taking both an over-the-counter medicine in addition to a prescription medicine containing acetaminophen.

 

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners is a founding member of the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition, which formed the Know Your Dose campaign to educate patients about the safe use of acetaminophen. I advise my patients who will be using cold and flu medicines to double-check their medicine labels so they don’t double up on acetaminophen, and follow these four simple safety steps:

1. Know if medicines contain acetaminophen, which is in bold type or highlighted in the “active ingredients” section of over-the-counter medicine labels and sometimes listed as “APAP” or “acetam” on prescription labels.
2. Never take two medicines that contain acetaminophen at the same time.
3. Always read and follow the medicine label.
4. Ask your health care provider or a pharmacist if you have questions about dosing instructions or medicines that contain acetaminophen.

As a nurse practitioner, it is important that I stress these medicine safety tips when discussing cold or flu symptoms with my patients. I spend time with them to both prevent and treat illness, and when medicine is required, I also want to help ensure patients know the proper dosage.