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Ag Center offers tips for stay-at-home living

Posted at 10:56 AM, Apr 29, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-29 11:56:06-04

The LSU AgCenter is offering tips for families who are living under the state's stay-at-home order.

The AgCenter newsletter, Healthy Connections, offers safety tips, info on produce expiration, how to start a garden and where to find free wi-fi. The information is tailored for St. Martin Parish families, courtesy of Eat, Play, Live St. Martinville, but some of it will work for anybody.

You can read the newsletter by scrolling down, but here's some of the info they're offering:

Bike Safety Basics
1. Wear a helmet
2. Follow traffic rules just like a car
3. Stay to the right side of the road and ride in the direction of vehicles. LA law requires that a passing vehicle give 3 feet space to a cyclist when passing.
4. Be visible: have lights and wear reflective or bright clothes
5. Use hand signals to indicate your intention to turn or stop. When riding with other cyclists be sure to also announce your intentions
Information provided by LA TRAIL and Mark Steele. For more information visit www.latrail.org [latrail.org].

Gloves and Masks During COVID-19, Explained
While a lot has been said on if people should be wearing gloves and/or masks, we wanted to provide a few helpful tips to ensure you’re protecting you and your loved ones properly during COVID-19.

Gloves are Great, But Only When Used Properly
Whether you go reusable or disposable, gloves are a great way to ensure your hands aren’t being exposed to germs and bacteria lingering on grocery store shelves, cups of coffee and your neighbor’s dog. But, if you’re not cleaning them properly or replacing them after each trip, all of the bad stuff they’ve been touching turns them into hazardous items that can inevitably be improperly handled by you, a loved one or any others in close contact. For reusable gloves, be sure you’re following proper cleaning and sanitation procedures and, for disposable, make sure you’re actually disposing of them and wearing a fresh pair for every trip!

Do Masks Actually Work?
There are a myriad of mask options available, from simple surgical coverings to full-on respirators and, depending on their effectiveness, their prices skyrocket. While many don’t believe a cheap, properly made surgical mask to be useful, data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that masking up when you go out may not protect you, but could play a big part in protecting others if you are currently carrying COVID-19. If everyone masks up, it helps protect the community from COVID and severely reduces the virus’s spread potential.

Information provided by St. Martin Hospital. For more information visit St. Martin Hospital at https://www.lafayettegeneral.com/ [lafayettegeneral.com].

Pedestrian Safety
In light of the public health restrictions implemented to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus, Acadiana has experienced significant increases in bicycling and walking since gyms, playgrounds, and other recreational facilities are closed and children’s sports leagues have suspended operations. The Acadiana Regional Transportation Safety Coalition would like to remind the community to achieve their goals in a safe manner. “Bicyclist and pedestrian crashes comprise 15% of the fatal crashes in Acadiana in a given year, and these crashes are only growing,” said Ron Czajkowski, Regional Safety Coordinator for the Coalition. “We would like remind residents to always ride with traffic in bike lanes and to walk along side of the road, not in the travel lane. We would also like to ask motorists to please watch for kids and adults on bikes and walkers, especially when making a right or left turn.”

Here's the newsletter: