With the holidays upon us, the Putnam County Board of Health offers the following tips on staying healthy:
Get a flu shot.
- Everybody older than six months of age should get a flu shot.
- Flu shots are available at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department at 108 Lee St., in Charleston and the Putnam County Health Department at 11878 Winfield Road in Winfield.
Review tips on food safety.
- Check out the CDC’s website on It’s Turkey Time: Safely Prepare Your Holiday Meal. The website contains information on safely thawing, preparing, stuffing and cooking a turkey.
Some key tips:
- There are three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water and in a microwave oven.
- After working with raw poultry, always wash your hands, utensils and work surfaces before they touch other foods.
- For optimal safety and uniform doneness, cook dressing or stuffing outside the turkey in a casserole dish. If you place dressing or stuffing inside the turkey, do so just before cooking.
- Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature at the center of the dressing or stuffing and meaty portion of the breast, thigh and wing joint. Cooking times will vary. The food thermometer must reach an internal temperature of 165°F with or without dressing.