Aaaa-choo! Did you know a single sneeze can spread bacteria from five to eight metres? That’s over 20 feet! No wonder thousands of people fall ill each cold and flu season.
The Real Cost of Cold and Flu
Colds and flu are nothing to sneeze at. In Canada, cold and flu season usually lasts from late fall until early spring, affecting thousands every year. The Canadian Healthcare Influenza Network estimates that around 1.5 million workdays are lost because of the flu, costing businesses approximately $1 billion a year!
Colds, flu and other viral outbreaks all take a toll on peoples’ health and wellbeing. While it may be an inconvenience for some to get sick, for others it can be very dangerous. It’s particularly threatening to the elderly, children and those with underlying health conditions due to the possibility of developing related illnesses like pneumonia.
Stop the Spread
Colds and flu are highly contagious. The flu virus can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours and spreads rapidly from person to person during that time frame. Thankfully, a few simple preventative measures can drastically help minimize the spread of viruses.
Give Customers a Helping Hand
Kick-start seasonal sales by helping your customers see the value in upping hand hygiene practices during cold and flu season. Here’s how:
- Post about cold and flu prevention on your business’ social media channels
- Display hand hygiene infographics in your stores (download one here!)
- Encourage your sales team to discuss the value of hand hygiene with customers, and offer these quick-tips:
- Place hand sanitizer dispensers near common touch points in offices and retail locations
- Place hand washing reminders near sinks (download here!)
- Stock antibacterial hand soap and hand sanitizer
- Amp up surface disinfecting during cold and flu season
Proper handwashing takes less than a minute from start to finish, but it’s one of the best ways to reduce the likelihood of getting sick and spreading illness. Handwashing helps eliminate flu-causing viruses and should be done before and after eating, after using the restroom and, of course, when hands are visibly dirty.
Keep your facility and your customers’ businesses free of cold and flu with the best brands of skincare products, hand sanitizers and surface disinfectants. Ask your R3 representative for the right product assortment for your customers’ needs this cold and flu season!
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