Telangana Director of Public Health and Family Welfare B Ravinder Nayak has issued an advisory stressing on health precautions during the rainy season. The public has been urged to be cautious against diseases including malaria, dengue and chikungunya
Nayak called for observance of every Friday as ‘Dry day’ to get rid of stagnant water near the house; discarded flower pots, cans, tyres, buckets, coolers, ditches and drains, which will help eradicate mosquito breeding possibilities need to be removed. Lawns need to be trimmed as short as possible.
To prevent water-borne diseases, including acute gastroenteritis, jaundice and typhoid, the advisory calls for drinking and carrying filtered/boiled water from home, bottled water when outside, washing hands frequently, specially before and after meals and also after visiting the washroom.
“Use and carry hand sanitizers with you, avoid eating outside, especially raw, pre-cut and uncovered food sold in the open like chat, salads, fruits and juices, and eat freshly made home cooked food and discard leftovers as far as possible,” the advisory said.
To guard against air-borne infections such as viral fever, conjunctivitis and influenza, the advisory says, “Avoid shaking hands, sharing food, water and clothes, with someone who is sick, or when sick yourself, wash hands frequently, as well as use hand sanitizers often, to avoid being infected.”
Minimise contamination of hands, avoid touching door handles, table tops, lift buttons, stair banisters, and railings in public places, cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, to avoid infecting people around you.
The DPH listed the following precautions, secure doors and windows with mosquito nets / screens; Any holes in the net should be promptly closed; Keep windows and doors shut during early morning and evening; Cover beds and cribs with mosquito nets, preferably insecticide-treated; Net should have 156 holes in a square inch and tucked around the bed; Children should wear light-colored clothes which will cover their arms as well as legs; Apply mosquito repellent like creams or lotions before going outdoor; Maintain drains to prevent water stagnation; Cover septic tanks with a mesh to prevent mosquito breeding.
