Halloween is expected to look different this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, with health officials advising against traditional trick-or-treating.

But national chain, Lowe’s Home Improvement plans to offer an alternative.

The home improvement retailer announced Monday it will have “drive-through curbside trick-or-treating” at Lowe’s stores nationwide Oct. 22 and 29 from 6 to 7 p.m. where families “can drive up to receive candy and a small pumpkin at no cost to take home.”

Space is limited, but starting Saturday, Oct. 10, families can reserve a spot for the early Halloween events at Lowes.com/DIY, Lowe’s said in a news release, adding costumes are encouraged but not required.

These past several months have brought a lot of uncertainty during a global pandemic with fears of COVID-19. Now, as we enter cold and flu season, medical professionals are even more concerned. Delphene Noland is the manager of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention at Children’s of Alabama. She’s concerned that families, already fatigued from the pandemic, may let their guard down this flu season. “I think my biggest concern is that people become lax and forget that the flu is a real threat to our community,” she said.

There’s hope that the measures already being taken to respond to COVID-19 may help mitigate the flu. Masks, social distancing and hand washing are all helpful in limiting the spread of both coronavirus and the flu. But the increase in positive COVID-19 cases statewide shows those efforts are not enough to stop transmission entirely. That’s why Noland says it’s critical to get the flu shot this year. “It is of the upmost importance to get your flu shot,” she said. “They are available now. Make it a family event and get everyone vaccinated for the flu.”

How can parents recognize the difference between the flu and coronavirus? What complicates matters is that their symptoms are so similar. “Loss of taste and smell is hallmark COVID-19,” Noland says. “Shortness of breath, is usually seen later in the flu process if the patient gets pneumonia as a complication. But shortness of breath can be seen early on in patients with COVID-19.”

Symptoms Unique to COVID-19:

Loss of taste and smell
Shortness of breath in early stages

Symptoms of Both COVID-19 and the Flu:

Cough
Runny nose
Sore throat
Fatigue
Fever
Nausea, Vomiting

And if your child is sick, seek guidance from your pediatrician or primary care provider. “Your pediatrician is your source of truth,” Noland said.

About Children’s of Alabama:

Since 1911, Children’s of Alabama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children, offering inpatient and outpatient services throughout central Alabama. Ranked among the best pediatric medical centers in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s provided care for youngsters from every county in Alabama, 45 other states and six foreign countries last year, representing more than 677,000 outpatient visits and more than 15,000 inpatient admissions. With more than 2 million square feet, Children’s is the third largest pediatric medical facility in the U.S. More information is available at childrensal.org.

Fall is here and it’s time to start prepping your home! Check out this Fall Cleaning Checklist for everything you can do to help get your house clean and cozy for the autumn weather.

Living Room:
Dust light fixtures and ceiling fans
Wash curtains, blankets, and pillows
Replace light blankets with warmer ones
Dust furniture and decor
Wipe down doorknobs, light switches and baseboards
Have floor, area rugs and furniture professionally cleaned
Clean fireplace

Kitchen:
Clean and organize pantry
Clean refrigerator and throw out expired food
Dust cabinets
Clean your oven
Vacuum under your fridge
Clean small appliances
Tidy and organize baking supplies
Get your tile and grout professionally cleaned

Bathroom:
Clean shower head
Wash or replace shower liner
Wash shower curtain
Clean and disinfect your sink
Scrub toilet
Stock up on first aid supplies and medicine
Get your tile and grout professionally cleaned
Clean and disinfect countertops

Bedroom:
Flip your mattress and have it professionally cleaned
Wash your bedding
Dust light fixtures and ceiling fans
Wash curtains or dust blinds
Dust your furniture and decor
Swap out summer clothes for warmer clothes
Donate clothing and other items you no longer use

Outdoor:
Clean gutters and downspouts
Cut back landscaping and remove dead limbs from trees
Clean and store your patio furniture
Sweep porches and walkways
Disconnect and store outdoor hoses
Check the roof and repair any cracks or loose shingles

General Maintenance:
Get your air ducts cleaned
Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, replace if needed
Reverse your fans to circulate warm air
Change your air filters
Insulate water pipes to prevent leaks
Check all weather stripping around your doors and windows
Check exterior caulk
Have your chimney cleaned

Ready to get your house back to clean for the fall? Call the experts at 1-800-STEEMER or instantly schedule online!

Stanley Steemer of North Central Alabama services the greater Birmingham Metro Area and surrounding counties, spanning from Cullman to Clanton and from the Mississippi state line to the Georgia state line.

All Stanley Steemer water restoration specialists have Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the most widely recognized and accepted certification program in the industry. These individuals are highly trained and prepared for any emergency water removal task they encounter. In addition to certification, our technicians attend IICRC-accredited continuing education and training programs throughout the year. We provide the time and money to train our people, and we supply them with the best equipment available.
For more information on their 24/7 Emergency Water Resmoval visit their site

Stanley Steemer provides trained technicians and state-of-the-art equipment you can’t get anywhere else. When flooding occurs, why muddy the waters? Call Stanley Steemer.

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Most people have wandered through new home developments and perused Instagram and Pinterest wishing their own home looked as modern and chic. Model homes showcase the latest upgrades and decorating trends; for home sellers these homes are their competition, and it can feel daunting to offer an older floorplan and design. While it might seem like a smart idea to simply offer a buyer credit and list, there are downsides to this plan, and taking the time to update a bit on your own first could mean thousands of dollars in your pocket. Here are a few reasons why offering a credit might not be the best strategy:

•Buyer Impression –A dated home looks old and not all buyers can see the potential.

•Lower Offers –Offering a credit could be viewed as high seller motivation, resulting in lower offers.

•Value Differences – You and your buyer might disagree on the value of needed upgrades. For example, you might feel $7,500 is a fair cost for a new countertop whereas your buyers might expect considerably more; this can lead to more negotiations and lower sales price.

•Home Condition – A property that shows its age can prompt the buyer to worry about the overall condition.

Home design trends change quickly. If you’re ready to sell, it could be tempting just to list your home in its current condition. Before you just add a credit to the listing, consider some simple updating so your buyers can see the value of your home.

Thank you to our site sponsors, Sophia Leece and Scott Boudreaux with LAH Real Estate. For more information on what’s happening in the Birmingham Housing Market, or to schedule a free home buyer/seller consultation, you can reach them:

Sophia Leece, 205.895.9120 | sleece@lahrealestate.com | Website
Scott Boudreaux, 205.835.9787|sboudreaux@lahrealestate.com | Website

This school year has started in much the way the last one ended, with many districts opting for virtual learning, which means children sit at home in front of computer screens rather than in a classroom in front of teachers.

But that extra screen time – mixed with the screen time many children and teenagers spend on their own – brings with it the potential for serious eye strain, says Dr. Jeff Kegarise, an optometrist, clinical management expert.

“Spending too much time in front of screens on computers, phones and tablets can lead to headaches, blurry vision, dry eyes and more,” Kegarise says. “Gritty, scratchy, watery, or irritated eyes can be common because of all the digital devices people use these days.”

And if things aren’t bad enough, even without this added time staring at computers, about one-fourth of children in the U.S. have a vision problem significant enough to affect their performance in school, Kegarise says.

It’s not unusual for some children to spend hours staring at a video game screen, perhaps so caught up in the game’s action that they fail to notice or care about any eye discomfort that results.

Add several hours of online school, though, and eye strain becomes more difficult to ignore.

Kegarise says parents can help their children alleviate some of the eye strain by making sure they do the following:

Take breaks.

To a certain extent, students won’t have control over this because teachers will decide when breaks happen during the school day. But ideally, they should follow a 20/20 rule; take a break every 20 minutes and look away from the screen at a distant object for 20 seconds, Kegarise says.

Choose the right lighting.

The type of lighting used in the student’s work space can make a difference. Incandescent lights work better than fluorescent lights because they give off less glare, Kegarise says. “It’s also better if the light is placed over your shoulder than if it’s shining straight down on the screen because that will cause fewer reflections,” he says.

Adjust the position of the computer.

The computer monitor and the keyboard should be positioned to conform with the child’s size. Make sure the screen isn’t too high in the child’s field of view. A report by the National Institutes of Health suggests an adjustable chair is the best option to get height just right.

Remind them to blink.

Parents should remind children to blink when they spend a lot of time in front of a screen. That helps spread tears across the eyes, keeping the eyes lubricated and aiding in the prevention of dry eyes, Kegarise says.

Even without all this added screen time, children often develop vision issues that hurt their performance in school and sports, Kegarise says. Forty percent of children develop nearsightedness, he says, and it’s an even higher percentage for those who have a parent who is nearsighted. Studies also show that less time outdoors contributes to more nearsightedness progression.

“In addition, reading difficulties and attention problems are often the result of eye muscle, visual processing, and function problems.” Kegarise says. “Parents who feel that their child has a tougher time reading and comprehending than others should consider an eye health and vision exam for them. It’s possible through vision therapy to make life-changing and long-lasting improvements to their learning and confidence.”

About Dr. Jeff Kegarise

Dr. Jeff Kegarise, a board-certified optometrist and clinical management expert, is co-author with his wife, Dr. Susan Kegarise, of One Patient at a Time: The K2 Way Playbook for Healthcare & Business Success (www.theK2Way.com). He has lectured for many years on clinical disease, and his management methods were recognized by The Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Kegarise is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Optometry.