Medical Linen Service Angelica Corporation Discourages Spreading the Common Cold

NORCROSS, GA, January 01, 2013 (Press-News.org) Cold and flu season is now in full swing, bringing with it a host of health concerns and related preventative care. This period of increased infectious disease occurs during the cold half of the year. In the U.S., it typically runs from October through May and presents a challenging period for hospitals in particular.

While colds are a painful nuisance no matter what, they can complicate or completely halt recovery and treatment for children, the elderly and otherwise healthy individuals experiencing a temporary immunodeficiency. For patients with compromised immune systems, such as those with Cancer or AIDS, or people recovering from major surgery, contracting everyday viruses like the common cold can result in serious health issues - even death.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are illnesses that patients develop during the course of receiving treatment at clinics and hospitals. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in 20 patients -- roughly 1.7 million a year -- will acquire some sort of infection during their hospital stay, and about 99,000 patients a year die from these contracted infections.

Healthcare laundry service Angelica Corporation encourages hospitals to help prevent spreading viruses, such as the common cold, by adopting these preventative measures:
- Have linens professionally laundered and sanitized in water temperatures of at least 160 degree F, and use only EPA-registered laundry disinfectant
- Provide visual reminders, such as pamphlets and signs, encouraging frequent and proper hand washing among hospital staff and patients
- Avoid close or prolonged contact with individuals who are exhibiting common signs of a cold: runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, low-grade fever, sneezing or coughing
- Routinely and thoroughly disinfect common areas, television remotes, door knobs, handles, medical equipment and hospital room furniture
- Make tissues and hand sanitizer readily available throughout the hospital

Using professional hospital linen services is a great preventative measure for protecting patients and hospital staff from spreading the common cold.

"Professionally laundering linens with EPA-registered disinfectant has been reported to kill 99.999 percent of the most prevalent pathogens in hospitals," says Aly Merritt, Angelica Marketing Manager. "Hospital laundry services are one of the best lines of defense in reducing the spread of infectious disease. The staff is trained to properly handle not only linens, but also the laundry carts, delivery trucks and other equipment that frequently come in contact with contaminants."

To learn more about the health benefits of medical laundry services, visit http://www.angelica.com.

About Angelica Corporation

Founded in 1878 as a small uniform company, Angelica Corporation has since expanded to become a leader in the healthcare linen service industry. Specializing in products such as bed linens, patient gowns, scrubs, towels and dust control systems, Angelica Corporation offers its clients the efficiency of over 25 laundry plants nationwide to tend to each client's hospital linen service needs quickly and efficiently.

To learn more, visit http://www.angelica.com.

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