Steps for proper hand washing. Photo: http://www.lifewithlyn.com
Use these 5 tips to help your household stay healthy.
1. Make hand washing second nature.
Germs and viruses are spread mainly by the hands. Wash your hands before eating or cooking a meal, after using the bathroom, and after working or playing with your hands, and after handling money. You have no idea how many hands have handled a quarter received as changed! Wash using warm water if available, and for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing “Twinkle, twinkle little star), thoroughly using at least soap. Use a hand sanitizer, until it dissolves, if soap and water are not available.
2. Keep your hands down!
Keep your fingers out of your mouth, nose and eyes. These are all entry ways of bacteria and viruses that can cause us to become ill. If you must use your bare hands, be sure to wash it thoroughly first. A soft clean cloth may be just as useful to clean nose or eyes.
3. Know where your cough or sneeze will land.
Viruses often spread from the fluids from our mouth and nose. Do not sneeze or cough aimlessly in the air. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Put your used tissue in a waste basket. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
4. Step up your disinfecting.
Do NOT get germ-obsessed but it is wise to make it a habit of disinfecting surfaces in your home, especially if a family member is sick to help prevent other family members from getting sick as well. Be aware that there’s no way that you’ll be able to eradicate all of the germs anyway. You could wipe off surfaces that the sick person has touched — like doorknobs, tables, and handrails, toilet, bathroom — with a disinfectant to make is less likely that the entire family catches the virus.
5. Stay away from others when you are sick.
One final practice that helps prevent the spread of respiratory diseases usually caused by viruses is avoiding close contact with people who are sick. If you are ill, you should try to distance yourself from others so you do not spread your germs. Do not touch others or shared surfaces, unless necessary. Distancing includes staying home from work or school when possible.
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