ROANOKE, Va. – In one week, you’ll be sitting around the table with your loved ones for Thanksgiving. With several food recalls, listeria, salmonella, and E.coli, you’re probably worried about keeping your family safe.
Registered Dietitian Keya Price with Lewis Gale says it’s important to ensure that food is served at the right temperature.
“The turkey is gonna be 165. Any other types of meats or ground foods are gonna be 145, and then 160 for any casseroles or things like stuffing,” said Price.
Price also said food prep is key to staying safe this Thanksgiving. So, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water and make sure all of your surfaces are clean. If you’re using a cutting board, clean it between preparing different foods.
“So, if you’re preparing a turkey and then switching to vegetables, make sure that you clean it or use a separate cutting board,” said Price.
When washing your turkey, make sure to clean all surfaces with soap, water and a sanitizing solution.
She also suggested considering food allergies when prepping. Price said to use different cutting boards if you’re concerned about food allergies or need to clean in between.
When you’re shopping for your groceries, stay up to date on any food recalls before you go to the store. She also said it’s not a bad idea to wash things like veggies even if it says they’re prewashed.
“Technically, you don’t have to, but it is never a bad idea to go ahead and rewash them just in case because you never know what could have happened between the time they were packaged and you got them home.
Finally, when it comes to those leftovers, put them into smaller containers and put them in the fridge within two hours.
Another concern is COVID-19, flu and RSV.
The Virginia Department of Health said those numbers are low and stable across the state.
In Southwest Virginia, they are only slightly higher than the Commonwealth’s numbers.
In Southwest Virginia last week, there were 69 emergency department visits for diagnosed COVID-19. Sixteen emergency department visits for flu and 41 visits for RSV, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Health officials said they are seeing an increase in pneumonia and RSV in kids up to four years old.
Respiratory Communications Coordinator Heather Harmon-Sloan with the Virginia Department of Health said everyone should get their shots, especially now before the holidays when numbers tend to increase.
“Getting vaccinated is going to bolster your immune system. Whether you have maximum protection, there are so many varying factors that come into play there so I would definitely recommend talking with your clinician about that. Underlying health conditions, what vaccination you’re getting all of these things kind of play a role, but you will start to see that increased protection as time goes on,” said Harmon-Sloan.
Harmon-Sloan said the numbers tend to increase between December and February.
She said people also need to wash their hands and cover their coughs and sneezes. She also said try to let fresh air in, if you’re indoors.
Finally, if you’re sick, stay home. You can return to work, school, or other activities after you haven’t had a fever for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications.