How to Stay Healthy During Flu Season

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It is inevitable that during the colder months, sicknesses and germs are more prevalent. There is a multitude of actions that can be taken to prevent and reduce your risk of catching a cold, COVID-19, or the flu. Here are a few simple tips you can employ that may help you stay healthy this season.

Distance

Keep your distance from people who are experiencing symptoms. If you yourself are experiencing symptoms, it is important also to keep your distance from others. Another important prevention method to keep in mind, however simple it may be, is to cover your nose and mouth when sneezing.

Wash Hands to Remove Germs

One of the oldest and most effective ways of preventing the spread of germs is washing your hands frequently. Washing for at least 20 seconds is the most effective way to remove germs and prevent potential viruses from spreading.

The primary means of transmitting colds, COVID-19, and the flu is through contact with the droplets of infected people who talk, sneeze, or cough. If droplets of an infected person come in contact with your hands, this is an easy way for you to get sick as well. This is also why it is important to keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth as much as possible.

Vaccines & Anti-Viral Drugs

Even some of the best preventative measures are not 100%. With that said, it is helpful to consider the following:

  • Getting vaccinated 
  • Using anti-viral drugs
  • Vitamins & Zinc
  • Getting plenty of sleep 
  • Eating a healthy diet 
  • Drinking plenty of fluids 

Clean and Disinfect Germs From Your Home, School, and Work

The cleaner you keep your home, the more difficult it is for viruses to survive outside of a human host. While cleaning is important to keep viruses from attaching to organisms or organic matter where they live longer, disinfecting destroy these viruses on contact. It is important to implement the below on a consistent basis.

  • Routine cleaning & disinfecting of all surfaces and frequently used objects
  • Providing disposable towels, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and soap 
  • Staying home when sick 

Why Call Brickley Environmental?

If you need remediation services, Brickley Environmental is here to help. Our knowledgeable, experienced staff will answer your call, listen to your needs, and provide you with the following services to address any problem you may be experiencing. 

  • Asbestos Abatement
  • Hazardous Waste Removal
  • Lead-Based Paint Removal
  • Mold Remediation
  • Demolition & More 

Call today and find out more about our services. We hope that you stay safe during the cold and flu season.

For more information on staying safe during this cold and flu season, click here to visit the CDC website.

Safety Tips for Attending School During COVID-19

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As we ease into a new school year, it is important to keep in mind that there are still risks of exposure to COVID-19. In order to limit the risk, here are some common tips to ensure the safety of you and your family.

Safety Benefits of Wearing Face Masks

There are various school policies currently in place for face masks. Whether it is a requirement or not, students can voluntarily wear a mask if they would prefer to. 

Face masks are most effective for those who have caught COVID and wish to limit its spread. It is recommended that teachers and children who have been exposed to COVID wear a face mask for at least 10 days. 

When planning for your child to wear a face mask to school, it’s important to ensure that it properly fits and is comfortable to wear. Be sure their mask is clean and they have a backup mask in case it gets misplaced or dirty throughout the day. Another tip we suggest is to label your child’s mask to ensure it doesn’t get traded or used by another child.

Safety Benefits of Washing Hands

Frequently washing your hands is still an effective measure against spreading germs and bacteria. This means using soap and water for at least 20 seconds or an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. When combined with keeping hands away from the face, this also helps to slow the spread of the virus. 

Safety Benefits of Staying Home When Sick

If your child tests positive for COVID, they should stay at home. The symptoms of COVID can mimic symptoms of a common cold or flu depending on its severity so it is important to get tested as soon as your child feels sick. 

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

Whether you are running a business, school, organization, or household, Brickley Environmental offers the waste disposal and hazardous material removal that benefits you. We provide the following services: 

  • Asbestos Abatement
  • Lead-Based Paint Removal
  • Mold Removal 
  • Hazardous Waste Removal
  • Demolition & More 

At Brickley Environmental, we offer the services you need to free your property of unwanted materials. Call today and talk to our experts who will explain our services, answer your questions, and provide the right guidance so you can make the best-informed decision.  

For more information about COVID-19, click here to visit the CDC website.

Facts About Monkeypox and How to Stay Safe

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Monkeypox has exploded around the world with more than 44,000 cases in over 95 countries. While the numbers may seem alarming, there are strong differences between monkeypox and the coronavirus in terms of how it’s spread and its severity to the public. 

Another difference is that while the version of coronavirus or COVID-19 was new when it first appeared in late 2019, monkeypox has been around for centuries and maybe longer. Related to the eradicated smallpox virus, monkeypox is not nearly as deadly nor does it spread in the same way as the coronavirus. 

How Does Monkeypox Spread?

Until the current outbreak, monkeypox mostly spread via close contact with animals that were infected with the virus. This means contact through bites, feces, bodily fluids, or consuming meat that was not properly cooked. 

Although it was first named monkeypox in 1958 because it was found in lab monkeys, the virus is primarily carried by rodents in tropical rainforests. There have been periodic outbreaks around the world, though it is mostly regulated in Africa. 

The current outbreak of monkeypox can be transmitted through very close physical contact, such as skin-to-skin, including:

  • Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox.
  • Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
  • Contact with respiratory secretions.

This means that, unlike COVID, sitting right next to an infected person will normally not spread the virus to them. Only close skin-to-skin contact under the above circumstances will do it. 

Monkeypox Symptoms 

A person infected with monkeypox usually takes one to two weeks for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and tiredness. However, the most notable symptom of the outbreak is a painful rash often displayed on one’s face, feet, mouth, hands, and genitals. This happens about two to three days after the initial flu-like symptoms. 

A common occurrence in many recent cases is a single lesion on the body. Lesions last for about two to three weeks. Once scabs form and fall off, the person is no longer infectious. 

Death is relatively rare from monkeypox. Of the over 44,000 known cases, there have been only a handful of confirmed deaths. While the spread of monkeypox should be taken seriously, the death rate makes it far less serious than the coronavirus. 

Why Call Brickley Environmental?

With monkeypox and many other viruses on the loose, it pays to have a professional team of experts on call to answer your questions and provide the right type of information and services. Brickley Environmental has been serving the Southern California area for over 30 years. Experts in asbestos and hazardous waste removal, Brickley Environmental can also answer your questions about possible contamination at your business or residential location. 

Call today and find out more about how Brickley Environmental can help you. We are here to answer your questions, explain our services, and provide the best assistance possible to meet your needs. 

For more information on the monkeypox virus, click here to visit the CDC website.

Asbestos Exposure and Coronavirus

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While the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause great concern, especially among the elderly and immunocompromised to catching the virus, many residents who have experienced exposure to asbestos may feel even more at risk.

The advent of COVID-19 only made a vulnerable population even more susceptible and combining asbestos exposure with it only makes things worse.

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is noted for being fire-resistant. For many decades, asbestos was used in many buildings, factories, plants, and even housing units for its fire-resistant properties. It’s even been used in products containing talc, such as baby and body powders. 

While the first indications of the dangers associated with asbestos arose in the 1920s, it was not until the 1970s that the mineral was banned across the US. Today, there are still many buildings that were built in the 1970s or earlier that contain asbestos.  

Asbestos and Coronavirus

People who have been exposed to asbestos, even if they have not developed mesothelioma or other lung-related issues, are vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19. This is because asbestos in the lungs damages the tissues, making viruses that cause respiratory problems more of a threat. For anyone who may have been exposed to asbestos, it raises the risk of complications caused by COVID-19.  

That makes it even more imperative to hire a professional company to inspect and remove any asbestos in your home or business. 

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

If you suspect that your home or business contains asbestos, call the professionals at Brickley Environmental. Armed with the knowledge, experience, and tools to identify and remove asbestos, Brickley Environmental offers its professional services to businesses and homeowners. 

Call today and the staff at Brickley Environmental will listen to your needs, explain our services, and conduct a proper inspection of your facility, building, or home at your request. Given the dangers of asbestos, it is best to act as soon as possible to protect those who live or work inside. 

For more information on asbestos, click here to visit the EPA website.

What You Need to Know About Omicron BA-5

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Although it is fair to say that the COVID-19 pandemic is not anywhere close to what it was in 2020, that doesn’t mean the threat is over. In fact, the latest variant is causing an uprise in infections around the world.  

The latest is a variant of Omicron. Its spread started off quietly, but now it has gained more prominence as it has reached around the world. The World Health Organization has classified it as a “variant of concern”. And while so far it seemingly does not present the same level of danger compared to the original COVID-19 virus of 2020, it is starting to alarm health officials around the world. 

What is the Omicron BA-5 Subvariant? 

BA-5 along with BA-4 are subvariants of Omicron that first emerged from South Africa over a year ago. While BA-4 has made some progress, BA-5 has become far more prolific. And while the infection rate in South Africa has declined, this variant has been on the rise in Europe, most notably in Portugal. 

Of the different subvariants of Omicron, BA-5 seems to be the most transmissible. However, like Omicron itself the severity of the infections are considerably milder compared to the Delta variant and the original COVID outbreak of 2020. 

Hospitalizations & Death Caused by Omicron BA-5

The good news about the BA-5 variant is that while the number of people infected is growing daily, the number of those being hospitalized and dying from the virus is considerably smaller compared to previous variants.

This is the natural course of most viruses which start off in their most deadly forms. And once vaccines and immunization shots are delivered, change into less deadly, but more transmissible forms. This does not mean that people should lower their guard. BA-5 may still cause unforeseen complications in those who are unprotected.

Are Boosters Effective? 

Boosters for the COVID-19 virus are effective because they lower the severity of the symptoms that are experienced. However, they do not prevent a person from becoming infected. It should be noted that no vaccine prevents infection. What it does do is allow the body’s own immune system to react quickly to stop the infection right away thus minimizing the symptoms. 

We do not understand the long-term consequences for those infected by Omicron BA-5. But what is known is that for the most part, the symptoms appear to be mild for most, and in rare cases, there is a more serious reaction. 

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

Protecting those from the latest omicron variant and identifying and removing hazardous materials means hiring the right professionals. At Brickley Environmental, we have the knowledge, experience, skills, equipment, and products to ensure that dangers present in your place of work can be properly addressed.  

Call today and talk to our experts in the field. We will explain our services and answer your questions, so you can make the best-informed decision about using our services. Let Brickley Environmental help you protect those on your property today.  

For more information on Omicron BA-5, click here to visit the CDC website.