Health expert shares flu-prevention tips with Malverne students

Students at Maurice W. Downing Primary School in Malverne got a visit from members of NYU Winthrop Hospital to discuss flu prevention on Oct. 18. Dr. Ranekka Dean, director of infection prevention at NYU Winthrop Hospital, met with students and taught them how to reduce the chances of spreading the flu while promoting good hygiene practices.

Dean demonstrated hygiene tips for keeping your hands clean such as washing them often, either with soap and water or alcohol-based hand gels, and provided each student with a personal container of hand sanitizer. She also provided each student with surgical masks and explained to them that during periods of high incidents of flu outbreak, hospital staff wears the masks to reduce spread of the flu.

Dean also explained that flu-prevention tips are important for children because communal settings such as schools are a prime location for the virus to spread. Through this program, she hopes that students will continue to learn more ways to mitigate spreading the flu.