A guide to staying safe and sound after a typhoon

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A guide to staying safe and sound after a typhoon [PhotoVCG].jpg
[Photo/VCG]

After Typhoon Bebinca and Pulsan have passed through Shanghai, here is a guide to help you stay safe and secure in the aftermath of a typhoon.

After a typhoon has passed, the accumulated garbage and mud, waterlogged roads and contaminated water sources can cause health problems. It's therefore crucial to keep the environment clean and prevent diseases.

- Clean up the environment

When a typhoon passed, promptly clear away garbage and mud, remove accumulated fallen leaves, mud, stagnant water and household waste, and level depressions and smooth roads and green spaces.

There is no need to spray disinfectant everywhere; the key is to keep the environment clean and dry.

- Prevent vector-borne diseases

In the aftermath of a typhoon, accumulated waste and stagnant water provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes, flies, rats and cockroaches.

Changes in living conditions for rodents due to the typhoon may alter their feeding habits and routes. Therefore, it is important to properly store food to prevent contamination by rodents.

Also, empty containers regularly, use insecticides to control mosquito breeding and use screens on doors and windows at home to prevent mosquito-borne diseases.

- Pay attention to food hygiene

Typhoon can lead to water pollution and contaminated food.

Do not drink untreated water; choose boiled, bottled, or purified water. Avoid drinking water from unknown or contaminated sources; disinfect water containers like tanks, buckets and basins.

Do not consume unwashed fruit and vegetables and avoid eating cold dishes; soak vegetables and fruit in clean water for at least half an hour before eating them.

- Protect against other diseases

You can get sick due to the sudden changes in temperature and humidity during a typhoon.

Moist and hot weather heightens the risk of skin inflammation, so it is important to keep your hands and feet clean and dry. Avoid any contact of wounds on your feet and legs with contaminated water and ensure proper disinfection; if wounds become red, swollen or painful, apply antibacterial ointments.

Remember to use repellent to prevent insect bites. If you develop symptoms such as fever after being bitten by a mosquito, see a doctor immediately.

 

Source: "shanghaifabu" WeChat account

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