It’s Gardening season! Remember to make your health and safety a priority.

By Dan Katzeff

Gardening is a great outdoor activity that can provide you with many benefits. But, did you know that gardeners can be prone to tetanus infections? Tetanus lives in the soil and can enter the body through breaks in the skin. Since gardeners use sharp tools and handle plants with sharp points while digging in the dirt, the risk is always there.

Before you start gardening this season, The Center for Medicare Services suggests that you;

• Make sure your tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccination is up-to-date. Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) generally covers shots needed to prevent illness. You can check with your Medicare drug plan for more information about coverage.
• Use a good set of gardening gloves, which can help lower the risk for skin irritations and cuts.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also has some helpful tips for those of you with a green thumb;

https://www.cdc.gov/family/gardening/index.htm?utm_campaign=20190710_gmd_prv_gal&utm_conte nt=english&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

For those of you who garden in my home state, I hope you enjoy the Jersey tomatoes!