How to Prevent Swine Flu

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By chava812
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (16 Ratings)

Swine Flu is not a pandemic yet, but is causing wide concern. How can you prevent catching this disease?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Awareness
Compassion for others
Good boss
Tissues
Soap/Water
Antibacterial wipes

Step 1

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

This means before and after going into the bathroom, whether you use the toilet or not; after shaking hands (discretely, later) and handling money.
Step 2

Sanitize things you touch frequently such as doorknobs and light switches, garage door openers, telephones, keyboards, etc. Walk through your home or office areas and see what you frequently touch without thinking. Use a bleach solution or other sanitizing cleaner to wipe these down.
Step 3

Keep your hands away from your face, particularly away from your mouth and nose. These are quick ways for any germs on your hands to enter your body.
Step 4

Stay away from crowds; particularly keep young children away from crowds where there is a larger chance for germs to be spread. This is true for all infectious diseases, not just to prevent catching the swine flu.
Step 5

If you do go out, take antibacterial wipes and hand cleaners to wipe down objects you and your children may touch, such as grocery carts, gym equipment, hand blow dryers in the bathrooms, faucets, doors, etc., and to wipe children's hands after playing on swing sets. Be mindful that things passed between people such as car keys and store "preferred shopper" cards, credit cards, and cash, also can spread germs around.
Step 6

Always cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and remind your children to do so as well. Use a disposable tissue and then dispose of it. If your children are sneezing on the playground and allergies are not the reason, clean your children's faces and hands and take them home.
Step 7

Avoid other people who appear to be sick or who are showing poor hygiene habits (sneezing and coughing in public, and not covering their mouths when they do so).
Step 8

Avoid going to the hospital unless it is a true emergency or your doctor tells you to go there. A hospital is full of sick people and you can get more sick by going there if you are not already very sick, especially if you are only a little sick (sometimes known as being "run down") because your own immune system is weakened. Do not take your children with you when you must go to the hospital. Similarly, older family members must also be protected more from people who are sick, so if a child is sick, do not ask an older family member to care for the child, particularly if the older family member suffers poor health from time to time.