Be careful of rotting your feet when wading after rain! Here’s what you should do →

In addition to the direct damage of collapsing buildings and drowning people, floods can also bring a lot of germs and threaten our health. When there is heavy rain or flooding, you have to wade through water just to go out, not to mention those who are soaking in the water and fighting on the front line of flood control.

Today, let’s talk briefly about how to stay away from diseases after close contact with floods.

Why can soaking in water cause illness?

We know that germs do not have legs and cannot run by themselves. They must rely on external forces to spread. Most germs are afraid of dryness and cannot survive long or spread far in a dry environment. However, when a flood comes, these two problems are solved at once.

Because floods penetrate everything, they wash away all kinds of garbage, feces, animal carcasses and other dirt that were originally collected in the disposal sites. These dirt carry many germs, which are more easily spread by floods. These germs infect people and people get sick.

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Floods can make it easier for germs to spread, but they can also reduce our resistance.

Our skin can usually distinguish between the inside and outside of the body and block the entry of pathogens in the environment. However, if we soak in water for a long time, the barrier function of the skin will be weakened, and various pathogens and foreign objects will be more likely to enter. In addition, there are often some mud and sand in floods, and there may be some sharp debris in the floods. Whether we are doing rescue work in the floods or just wading through the water, we may be rubbed and scratched, and the skin will be broken, which will allow pathogens to enter directly.

Therefore, it is true that being immersed in flood water for a long time is more likely to cause infection. Although there are these risks, exposure to flood water is inevitable in critical situations. At this time, we can understand some relevant precautions and respond correctly to avoid getting sick.

"Rotten feet" and "rotten crotch"

Watching the news about flood relief, we often see soldiers soaking in water for a long time during rescue and relief missions, which results in their feet turning white or even breaking. This is "immersion dermatitis", the cause of which is that the skin of the feet is soaked in dirty water for a long time, and the person is always walking, resulting in the feet being worn by shoes, socks, and gravel, and the wounds are infected by bacteria.

In addition, sometimes the flood level is as high as the waist, and the lower body will be immersed in dirty muddy water for a long time . As a result, the skin in sensitive areas such as the lower abdomen, inner thighs, and perineum are also prone to similar conditions, leading to pain, itching, and inflammation, and the skin is also prone to damage and inflammation.

In such cases, if conditions permit, we should take regular breaks, rinse our feet with clean water, and let them dry for a while. In addition, we can use topical medications such as calamine powder to relieve symptoms. Applying some moisturizing products to the feet before entering the water can also help. For those whose foot skin is already severely damaged, antibiotics may be used to deal with the infection and avoid entering the water.

Similarly, there are reports that some people may develop erysipelas if they have broken skin or diseases that make their skin fragile, such as tinea pedis or diabetic foot, and are infected with hemolytic streptococci after soaking in water. Some people also develop other foot diseases after soaking in water. For example, the last emperor Puyi once recalled that when the Forbidden City was flooded due to heavy rain, he contracted tinea pedis because of wading in the water, and it never healed.

Pink Eye

The white part of a healthy person's eyes is usually close to white, but sometimes it may turn red due to dirty things getting into the eyes. This is what we often call "pink eye disease". Its official name is "acute conjunctivitis", which is caused by bacteria infecting the conjunctiva. Although we are unlikely to open our eyes in a flood, on the one hand, splashing water may cause dirty water to rush into our eyes, and on the other hand, we sometimes rub our eyes with dirty hands, so bacteria have the opportunity to enter our eyes and make us sick.

In this regard, we should pay attention to develop a good habit of washing hands frequently and avoid rubbing our eyes with our hands. Also, do not share towels and washbasins with patients with conjunctivitis. If symptoms occur, you can use some symptomatic eye ointments for treatment.

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Diseases come from the mouth

As the saying goes, disease comes from the mouth, and this is especially true during floods. As mentioned earlier, floods themselves may carry a lot of germs, and floods may also contaminate the tap water system, making the tap water no longer as clean as before. Therefore, during floods, it is best to drink bottled water. If you don’t have bottled water, you must filter and boil the water before drinking.

Similarly, food hygiene also needs attention. On the one hand, floods can directly contaminate food or make it damp and moldy. On the other hand, floods sometimes cause power outages, causing food in the refrigerator to heat up and spoil, so it is necessary to avoid eating suspicious food. In flood-prone areas, some emergency food that can be eaten immediately after opening the bag should be prepared.

Don’t neglect your mental health

There is another issue that is not easy to ignore, that is mental health. People in disaster-stricken areas are often in dangerous places, with a shortage of supplies, poor living conditions, and difficult to ensure hygiene. In addition, the weather is gloomy, which will cause everyone to be anxious and nervous. And these psychological pressures will affect our bodies, making us more susceptible to diseases than usual, and previous diseases are more likely to relapse or worsen. In this regard, you can participate in self-help and disaster relief work within your ability, or stay with your family to calm your mood. If necessary, you can get psychological counseling after the flood.

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Finally, let me summarize. When floods strike, we will face physical and mental difficulties. While fighting against floods and disaster relief, we should also pay attention to protecting our own health. In summary, do not go into the water unless necessary, wash and dry in time after wading, pay attention to developing good hygiene habits, especially drinking water hygiene and hand washing, and pay attention to food safety and mental health.

Planning and production

Author: Dingzhong Popular Science Writer

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director and Researcher of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association

Editor: Yinuo

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