Celeste Products and Swine Flu

Swine Flu: What is it? What Measures Can You Take?

Celeste Bulletin 2009 / 001

April 2009

Excerpts from CDC website:

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally contract swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not to touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illness like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

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If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water. or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. we recommend that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

First and foremost, it is important that you maintain a rigorous cleaning routine to ensure that all your aircraft hard surfaces are maintained as clean as possible for your passengers and crew. Sanitization with an EPA registered disinfectant is also recommended. Secondly, make sure you have hand washing products available for frequent and thorough hand washing.

Both standard and anti-bacterial soaps are available from Celeste industries for frequent handwashing needs for both passengers and crew.

Don’t let lack of running water stop you – both alcohol and non-alcohol hand sanitizers are available in lieu of (or even as well as) liquid hand soaps for cleanliness. The rules governing the safe and effective use of all Over-The-Counter (OTC) topical antimicrobial products fall under the FDA monograph entitled, “Topical Antimicrobial Drug Products for Over the- Counter human Use; Tentative Final Monograph for Health-Care Antiseptic Drug Products, Part III”. This monograph was published in the Federal Register Vol. 59, No. 116, June 17, 1994. Accordingly, all of Celeste’s hand sanitizer products comply with this FDA monograph. The active component in Celeste's non-alcohol hand sanitizer is Benzalkonium Chloride (BZK) at 0.13% concentration which is at the highest concentration allowed by the FDA monograph. BZK is a broadspectrum germicide effective on viruses and bacteria. This product would guard against the spread of swine flu from hand contact. The active component in Celeste's alcohol hand sanitizer is ethyl alcohol at 62.5% concentration which is recommended by the FDA monograph. Ethyl alcohol is a broad-spectrum germicide effective on viruses and bacteria. This product would guard against the spread of swine flu from hand contact.

Celeste has two versions of hand towelettes: with and without alcohol.

Don’t just clean tray tables and hard surfaces – disinfect them. Sani-Cide is an EPA registered disinfectant formulation that is an effective bactericide, virucide, tuberculocide, fungicide and mildewstat. Sani- Cide is one of the strongest ready-to-use EPA approved broad spectrum hard surface disinfectants against enveloped (hardest to kill) and nonenveloped organisms that is safe for passengers as well as aircraft integrity.

Don’t have Sani-Cide Disinfectant on hand? Make sure you have some disinfectant wipes on the aircraft at all times. They are included in our Emergency Cleaning Kits (see below) but can also be purchased separately for individual use.

The biohazard kit in particular is ideal for any travel sickness or spillage situation with everything needed for clean up and disposal in a conveniently sized package. Always keep one or two on hand.

Cockayne House

126/128 Crockhamwell Road

Woodley, Reading

Berkshire, RG5 3JH England

Tel ++44 (0) 118 9272111

Fax ++44 (0) 118 9272101