How to have a flu-free holiday party

Parties in the Valley this season tend to be big.

They have the typical throng of children wreaking holiday havoc, aunts and uncles and second uncles coming in from all over the Western Hemisphere and food, lots and lots of it: tamales steaming in the kitchen, tortillas flipping on the burner and menudo simmering at midnight, sometimes even into the early dawn hours if the celebration lasts that long.

But all the hugging and smooching and communal cooking might come to a halt this year with a simple — achoo. You can guess the perpetrator— the H1N1 flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have long been reporting high flu activity, which is now widespread in 43 states. And although visits to doctors for influenza-like illnesses have slightly declined, they are still higher than expected for this time of the year, according to the center’s latest flu report.

So here are a few tips to stay healthy in what health officials have declared one of the trickiest flu seasons in years.

First of all, if you have the flu, don’t go anywhere, and don’t host the party. Stay inside, rest and drink plenty of fluids, said Dr. Satnam Bhondi, a physician at J.K. Family Clinic in Brownsville.

"If you live alone, have someone check up on you," he said. A fever can cause serious complications, especially if you become bedridden.

Now if you only have a minor cough or a cold, have been checked out by a physician and decide you need to or have to attend the party, take plenty of tissues and hand sanitizer with you, Bhondi said. Do not share these items with anyone.

No need for a facemask, but make sure to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, and keep away from children.

"Most importantly, do not let others touch (your hand sanitizer, tissues or other belongings), then touch their eyes, nose or mouth because that is how flu is spread," he said.

When shopping for the festivities, leave the children at home to minimize their exposure to the flu virus, and visit stores and supermarkets during off-hours, said Yvette Salinas, health administrator for the Cameron County Department of Health and Human Services.

Health officials "highly recommend going to stores when there is less people," Salinas said. "We are all trying to practice social distancing."

Some stores and supermarkets, like grocery giant H-E-B, are also providing free sanitizer wipes for customers to clean germs off the handlebars of their shopping carts and baskets.

"Take advantage of that," Salinas said, "because vendors are trying to do their own due diligence to keep customers healthy."

Again, if you are sick, do not go out to the supermarket, health officials said. Stay home.

It might be too late for Thanksgiving, but for the upcoming holidays prepare some of the party dishes days in advance or prepare smaller portions of the meal separately during the day, health officials said. That way people are not crowding in the kitchen the night of the celebration.

At the party, snacks and appetizers "are best served in individual bowls and guests should have their own glasses or cups," said Sandra de la Cruz, clinical services program coordinator for the county’s health department.

Guests should mark their cups or glasses to avoid accidental sharing, while hosts should clean the tabletops often, and have sanitizers and tissues available by the front door and throughout the areas where people are congregating.

As for the children, who are among the high-risk groups of the H1N1 virus, keep them wrapped up in warm clothing if they are playing outside in chilly weather and remind them to wash their hands, de la Cruz said.

And, of course, the usual flu prevention tips also apply at parties, she said. All attendees should wash their hands frequently and cover their mouths when sneezing or coughing.

Lastly, "keep a list of physicians’ offices that will be open the next day, just in case somebody does get sick and needs to be quickly attended to," Bhondi said. "Avoid the emergency room as much as possible because it will be packed."

With all of that in mind, have a happy holiday season.

Party planning in a nutshell: