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For release November 29, 2005

Editor's note: The media is invited to hear children perform the flu prevention jingle 10 a.m. December 6 at Head Start in the Congressman George Miller III Children's Center, 300 South 27th Street, Richmond.

A simple holiday jingle may be one of the best cold and flu prevention tools we have this year. Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) is teaching children to wash their hands and cover their coughs with a special song about how to prevent illness set to the tune of "Jingle Bells." As part of National Hand Washing Awareness Week December 4-10 and CCHS' annual Holiday Colds and Flu Campaign, youngsters ages 3 to 5 years old at 28 Head Start locations around the county are learning the lyrics, said Christina Reich, Head Start health services manager. The children will perform the jingle at their individual Head Start centers 10 a.m. December 6.

"It's such a cute jingle and a fun way to raise awareness about the simple ways we can prevent flu and colds both in the classroom and at home," Reich said.

The California Department of Health Services and the California Coalition for Childhood Immunizations produced the song. All 85 of the county ‘s Community Development Department Head Start Programs classrooms are participating. Teachers are using the lesson plan provided by the state and each child gets a cling-on of Wash Your Hands sign to take home.

To hear the jingle, visit the Contra Costa Health Services website's flu page at cchealth.org/topics/flu/ For more information about the jingle or the Holiday Colds and Flu Campaign, contact Christina Reich at creich@ccccsd.org or at 925-646-5925. Flu shots also help prevent the flu and there's still time to get a flu shot. For information about flu shot clinics, call 925-313-6469.

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