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.
