Hospital Linen Service Angelica Corporation Encourages Keeping the Flu at Bay in Your Hospital

NORCROSS, GA, January 02, 2013 (Press-News.org) The dreaded flu season is now officially upon us. As of early November, eight states -- Georgia, Mississippi, Wyoming, Idaho, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and New York -- have already reported local flu activity, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Once a region has shown a rise in flu infection, it is easily transmitted through close contact in public buildings, particularly among people with compromised immune systems. This factor makes hospitals highly susceptible to outbreaks. Easy access points for contaminants include highly trafficked hospital areas, equipment and patient hospital linens, where germs can lurk even after the infected person has left.

The Mayo Clinic reported earlier this year that experiments with specific flu germs have shown survival times ranging from a few minutes to 48 hours or more, depending on the type of surface the infected droplets covered. The temperature and humidity of the contaminated environment also affect how long the flu virus stays active.

Once infected with the flu virus, the illness causes a host of painful symptoms varying in severity depending on the strength of the person's immune system. In patients with already suppressed immunity, severe complications and even death can occur. Fever, body aches, reduced appetite, extreme fatigue, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, and dry cough are common symptoms. The illness is commonly transmitted through infected droplets, so when working in close proximity to sick people, proper hand washing and covering the mouth when sneezing or coughing are essential.

Medical laundry service Angelica Corporation provides hospitals with some helpful guidelines to help prevent spreading of the flu virus:
- Get linens professionally washed
- Require provisions for hospital staff, as well as all other peripheral healthcare personnel, to receive annual flu vaccinations
- Wash your hands frequently with hot, soapy water or with an alcohol-based disinfectant
- Avoid close contact with patients or staff who display symptoms, and always use protective measures in dealing with them
- Frequently disinfect communal areas, television remotes, call buttons, door handles, medical equipment and hospital room furniture

Seeking out professional hospital laundry services is an effective measure for helping to protect patients and staff from the flu virus.

"Linens and textiles are one of the primary points of contact for patients, providing a ready conduit for infectious disease to spread," says Aly Merritt, Angelica Marketing Manager. "We launder linens using only EPA-registered disinfectants." Their staff is also trained to properly disinfect laundry carts, delivery trucks, plant conveyor belts and all other equipment that frequently comes in contact with contaminated linens.

To learn more about how medical laundry service can lower the spread of infection, 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.

For all media inquiries, please contact:

Anne DeVito
Lead Content Developer
Cardinal Web Solutions
http://www.CardinalWebSolutions.com