Mercy Urgent Care wishes you and yours a healthy 2020! Please note that Mercy Urgent Care locations in West Asheville and Burnsville will close at 5:30p on New Years Eve and New Years Day. All locations will open at 9a on New Years Day. Regular hours will resume on Thursday, January 2.
Hours for New Years Eve/Day
2019 Christmas and New Year’s Hours
Happy Holidays from our Mercy family to yours! Each of our seven locations will be closed on Christmas Day with modified hours on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. We will open Thursday morning on January 2, 2020 at regular center hours. Best wishes in 2020!
We apologize for any inconvenience, click here for all 2019 holiday hours.
Avoid common holiday accidents
With all the joy and family fun the holidays bring, safety can often slip from your list of top priorities. Don’t let injury and illness put a damper on your holidays this season. Keep your family healthy this year by understanding and avoiding the most common holiday accidents, compiled by our partners at SolvHealth.
The Most Common Holiday Accidents
- The average temperature of oil used in a turkey fryer can reach 350 degrees, which can lead to third degree burns.
- 13,000 people are seen each year for accidents related to holiday decorations.
- 5,800 accidents occur when people fall putting up decorations during the holiday season.
- About 2,000 people every winter are treated for lacerations, sprains, and more, due to tripping over extension cords.
- 50% of Christmas tree fires happen between Dec. 22 and Jan. 5, due to faulty lights, candle decorations, and more.
- 1 in 6 Americans suffer from food-borne illnesses each year.
- Thawing a turkey in an uncontrolled environment can lead to illness.
- Candle-started fires make up 13% of home fires each December.
- Over 100,000 people are treated for scalding accidents per year.
- About 1,062 injuries are due to space heaters each winter.
- Hypothermia can occur at temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
- Over 55,000 people sustain injuries to back, neck, and shoulders each year due to carrying luggage.
- Up to 20 percent of the population gets the flu each year, which begins in the fall and peaks around January or February.
That said, if you do end up needing medical assistance this holiday season, come visit us at one of Mercy Urgent Care’s seven Western North Carolina locations!
Mercy Foundation Day
One hundred eighty-eight years ago today, in Dublin, Ireland, Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy to care for the poor, sick and uneducated. Out of sheer determination to make a difference, McAuley’s organization grew — spreading its message and its reach to more than 40 countries across the globe.
A sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Mercy South Central Community, Mercy Urgent Care’s not-for-profit urgent care network exists within that same Sisters of Mercy umbrella, and, on this day, Thursday, Dec. 12, we celebrate our Foundation Day — looking back over a legacy that began in 1831.
In the 10 years that followed the founding of Sisters of Mercy, McAuley established 14 more independent ministries in Ireland and England — expanding the Sisters of Mercy to include 100 women by the time of her death in 1841. First arriving on U.S. soil in 1843, the Sisters of Mercy quickly spread throughout the country, caring for the sick and economically poor on this side of the Atlantic. By 1900, the Sisters arrived in the mountains, opening up Asheville’s first tuberculosis sanitarium on the corner of French Broad and Patton Avenues downtown — and we’ve been here ever since.
Today, the Mercy organization includes a diverse range of ministries, from hospitals and urgent care facilities — like Mercy Urgent Care — to universities and high schools, parishes, shelters and immigrant centers.
On Dec. 12, celebrate Foundation Day with Mercy Urgent Care and the Sisters of Mercy — honoring our mission that’s nearly two centuries strong, with 175 partners worldwide.
Safe Toys & Gifts Month
Gift-giving season has officially begun! This December, Mercy Urgent Care is helping spread the word about gift safety for Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month.
An initiative of the group Prevent Blindness America, Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month encourages everyone to consider the age- and ability-appropriateness of all gifts during the holiday season — especially when shopping for infants and children under age three.
When choosing toys, Prevent Blindness America suggests adhering to the following guidelines:
Before purchasing:
- Read all warnings and instructions on the box.
- Ask yourself if the toy is right for the individual child’s ability and age.
- Avoid purchasing toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes, rods or dangerous edges.
- Check the lenses and frames of children’s sunglasses; many can break and cause injuries.
- Buy toys that will withstand impact and not break into dangerous shards.
- Look for the letters ASTM. This designation means the product meets the national safety standards set by ASTM International.
- Avoid toys that shoot or include parts that fly off. Remember that BB guns are NOT toys.
Before letting children play with toys:
- Inspect toys for safe, sturdy construction.
- Explain how to use the toy.
- Fix or throw away broken toys.
Always:
- Keep young children away from toys meant for older children.
- Supervise children while playing.
- Store toys properly after play to avoid risks or falls.
- Supervise children’s craft projects (scissors and glue can be extremely dangerous to a child’s eyesight).
- Have children wear the right eye protection for sports (face shields, helmets, eyeguards).
More helpful tips for toy safety can be found at kidshealth.org, including guides on toys for babies, toddlers and preschoolers and school-age children. From all of us at Mercy Urgent Care, have a safe and happy holiday season!
National Handwashing Week
Flu season is upon us, and one of the best ways to safeguard against sickness is to wash your hands. In celebration of National Handwashing Week, Mercy Urgent Care is sharing these tips and tricks from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention to help you and your family stay germ free this holiday season.
Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals. It’s important to remember to wash your hands throughout the day, not just before eating and after using the bathroom. Follow these five steps every time.
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label. Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However,
- Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
- Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
- Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.
Personal hygiene begins and ends with our hands. And, while washing your hands is important, vaccines are your body’s best defense against the flu. Learn more about the flu shot (including a flu shot FAQ) here.
