How to Help Prevent the Spread of Germs

Bacteria and viruses travel among us in many different ways. However, if you follow some of my tips, you can help avoid some infections and diseases with just a few simple daily rituals.

Instructions

1. Wash, wash, wash your hands! Germs can travel via direct contact, indirect contact, or droplet transmission. You become susceptible to an infection whenever you get a cut or abrasion in the skin, have poor hygiene, participate in substance abuse, etc etc. Keeping your hands washed greatly diminishes the risk of infection.

2. Regularly clean around the house and change certain personal items, such as toothbrushes and luffas every 2-4 months to avoid re-contaminating yourself.

3. If you do get any cuts, abrasions, or any other openings in the skin, keep them covered as much as possible to avoid infection. Neosporin is a good healing agent, while alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are good cleansing chemicals for breaks in the epidermis of the skin.

4. Make sure you wash your clothes fairly frequently. Re-using underwear and/or socks can result in a common infection known as Athlete's Foot. Maintaining good hygiene and clothes washing can help avoid this.

5. Stay up to date with immunizations. Flu shots are useful during the winter months for added protection against the influenza virus. Proper hand washing helps keep the common cold away, and regular shots such as tetanus and hepatitis vaccines are crucial for protection against those life-threatening diseases. These methods are not fool-proof of course, but they will certainly decrease the risk of you obtaining an infection or disease throughout your daily life.