Throw me something, Mister!! It's time to start catching Moonpies and beads, with Mardi Gras on the Gulf Coast.
The one thing you DON'T want to catch at Mardi Gras? The flu.
The Mobile County Health Department recommends sticking to the basics when it comes to flu and being in crowds at Mardi Gras--
These include:
• Get vaccinated;
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people;
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them;
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it;
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub;
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way;
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.
Will fear of the flu keep some revelers at home? Probably. But there will still be thousands of people in the streets for parades.
And even though people with the flu know they SHOULD stay home, there are probably some who just don't want to miss their opportunity to ride, or go to the ball, or see their favorite parade.
So, yes, you could encounter germs at Mardi Gras.
Maybe everyone should wear a mask at Mardi Gras?