The holidays are a time for celebration, family gatherings and indulgent feasts ― but for emergency room doctors, they’re also one of the busiest times of the year.
Every year, emergency departments see a predictable surge in visits between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Between foodborne illnesses, respiratory infections and accidents in the kitchen, there are plenty of incidents that keep them busy. The good news? Most of these visits are preventable.
We asked emergency medicine physicians across the country to share the habits they rely on to keep themselves and their families healthy during this holiday season. Their advice is surprisingly simple — and could save your celebration from taking a seriously unpleasant turn.
They keep surfaces clean.
According to Dr. Alexis Halpern, an emergency medicine physician at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, one of the biggest culprits behind holiday illnesses starts right in the kitchen.
“It’s always important to clean surfaces and cutting boards immediately after handling raw meat, poultry and fish because any bacteria that was present can live on surfaces for some time ― hours to even weeks,” she said. “If this touches other foods, which won’t be cooked, they can be transferred to those foods and cause anyone who consumes them to become sick.”
Halpern recommended a simple but thorough cleaning process: “First remove all food debris, use hot water and a mild dish soap (depending on the surface), then use a food-safe sanitizer… If using dish towels to dry the surfaces, also put them in the laundry rather than continue using them.”
Her advice extends beyond the kitchen. “Upper respiratory viruses, which are common in the winter, can live on anything that people touch, like doorknobs, elevator buttons, cell phones and countertops, for a few hours to even a few days depending on the virus,” she said.
“Wash your hands whenever you come in from outside, after you’ve been with a lot of people, and if you’re shaking lots of hands. Also, never touch your face while you’re out because the eyes, nose, and mouth are easy places for viruses to enter your body.”
They make sure to keep their vaccines up to date.
“Staying current with vaccinations, especially for annual influenza and COVID-19, remains the most effective strategy to prevent these viral illnesses and their complications,” said Dr. Peggy Tseng Ji, an emergency medicine physician.
This is especially crucial for high-risk groups: “Vaccination substantially reduces hospitalization and mortality in high-risk populations,” she noted. Her advice: “Get your vaccines updated as early as you can during the cold and flu season, which starts in October and peaks between December and February.”
They keep washing their hands.
Ji makes sure to keep washing her hands to stay virus-free during the season as well.
“Hand washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers may not be groundbreaking, but evidence consistently shows that this old-fashioned habit reduces the incidence of acute respiratory infections,” she explained.
“Wash your hands with soap and water for about 20 seconds, cleaning both palms, between the fingers, and all fingertips. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used when soap and water are unavailable but should contain at least 60% alcohol.”
This is especially important if you are playing with pets or during food preparation, added Dr. Gauthami Soma, a Yale Medicine pediatric emergency medicine specialist and assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine.
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They don’t let food sit out for long periods of time.
Holiday meals often stretch for hours ― but that spread of stuffing, gravy and turkey left on the counter might be a ticking time bomb. Dr. Kirsten Bechtel, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Yale Medicine, warned that food safety mistakes are a common reason for holiday ER visits.
“The danger zone for bacteria to grow in prepared/cooked food is 40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit,” Bechtel said. “Food should be cooled before refrigeration.”
Her rule of thumb: “Any prepared/cooked or cold food should not be left out longer than two hours.” To stay safe, she recommends keeping cold dishes on ice and hot dishes above 140 degrees Fahrenheit using chafing dishes or crockpots. “If you want to heat up leftovers in the microwave, make sure to reheat it so that it is above 165 degrees Fahrenheit or steaming hot.”
While keeping food hot, be mindful of the dangers hot foods pose to little ones. “Hot cooked items on the stove can cause burns if tipped and in contact with skin ― remember to put stove items on the farthest back burner and turn the handle inwards and away from toddlers trying to reach,” Soma said.
They make sure to have a medical kit on hand.
No matter how prepared you are, it helps to have essentials on hand at home. Halpern suggested keeping a few key medications ready for unexpected events, like a snowstorm or hurricane.
“It’s never a bad idea to have fever reducers and pain medications, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen,” Halpern said. “It’s also a good idea to have diphenhydramine, which can be used if someone has an allergic reaction, especially if you are having guests who may have food and other allergies nobody knows about.”
She added: “Be sure to hold onto the instructions for safe usage, for both adults and weight-based dosing for kids… and be sure they have child-resistant caps.”
They make sure to mask when needed.
When in crowded gatherings or when caring for someone who’s sick, it’s always best to put on a mask, Ji said.
“Masks act as a physical barrier, limiting the spread of infectious particles from both asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals,” she explained. “When I was sick with COVID-19, I wore an N95 around my family at all times … I was able to continue caring for both my children and breastfeeding my infant without infecting anyone else.”
She recommended N95 respirators for the best protection, followed by surgical masks. “For maximum protection, wear masks consistently and correctly ― covering both the nose and mouth ― especially in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces,” Ji said.
They pay attention to warning signs and seek medical attention when necessary.
Even with all the right precautions, illnesses happen. But knowing when to go to the doctor ― or the emergency room ― can be lifesaving.
Halpern emphasized the importance of listening to your body: “Winter colds and viruses are common and can range from cough, congestion, and sore throat, to headache, body aches, fever, vomiting and diarrhea.”
However, certain symptoms require urgent care. “If these symptoms progress to feeling short of breath, as in you cannot get enough air in or you’re breathing very quickly, severe weakness or lethargy, or fever above 103 that is lasting for days or not responding to fever-reducing medications, it is important to seek medical attention,” Halpern said.
She also cautioned against ignoring severe dehydration: “If you cannot stop vomiting, are having persistent diarrhea or you stop urinating, you could be severely dehydrated … Please be seen in person so you can receive IV fluids and have electrolytes repleted as needed.”
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms yourself or know of someone who is, take a trip to the nearest urgent care facility or emergency room immediately. “We’d rather see you, tell you you’re going to be okay and send you home with supportive care and medications, than have you stay at home and become dangerously ill,” Halpern said.
