Tips to prevent infection

Sometimes it is just a daunting task to keep yourself and your family away from infections. It is not enough to keep the obvious runny nose and hacking cough at bay. You need to find useful and practical methods to keep infections at bay. Your skin behaves as a natural force-shield protecting you from harmful bacteria that causes infections. However, a new form of smarter and lethal bugs have founds alternate ways to get inside your body and cause infection.

Don’t worry, all hope is not lost. By making a few simple behavioural alterations, you can easily master the art of infection prevention.

Keep your hands clean – You will be surprised to know that microbes can survive on inert surface anywhere from a few minutes to as long as several months. It depends on the microbes and the environment it is in. However, these microbes can be taken care of by simply washing your hand effectively. You must wash your hand thoroughly and vigorously for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. If you can’t find water around you, then the best alternative solution would be a good hand sanitiser.

Avoid sharing personal items – Razors, toothbrushes, towels, nail clippers, and handkerchiefs breed a lot of infectious bacteria. Ensure you don’t share it with anyone.

Be careful when you cough and sneeze – In a similar manner, respectable personal hygiene is not only about grooming yourself, but also about following the golden rule of covering your mouth when you are coughing or sneezing. Now you would question, why should I do it if I am not sick? The reason being that the disease-causing bacteria in most infections start growing and multiplying way before the symptoms actually show up.

Be updated with recent news – A clear understanding of latest events can help you make wise decisions before travelling or indulging in recreational activities. For instance, a bird flu outbreak in Asia can make you reconsider about the trip you were planning. Lead in food products? Don’t eat those products. As Simple as that. (Move this point to the end)

Always have safe sex - Infectious diseases that are sexually transmitted are the easiest one to prevent. By using condoms you can prevent transfer of infectious bacteria or viruses from one person to another.

Exercise caution if you are an animal lover – Infections that spread from animal to people are called “zoonotic diseases”. These infections are more common than most people realize. So, if you are a pet lover, make sure they get timely check-ups and their vaccinations are up-to-date. Make sure you keep their litter box clean, and keep small kids away from animal feces.

Travel smart – Infectious diseases are easy to catch while traveling, especially if you are travelling to underdeveloped countries. If you travelling to a destination where the quality of drinking water is questionable, make sure you use bottled water for drinking and while brushing your teeth. Be sure to update every immunizations that are recommended or required for your journe and nedless to say – pack your basic medications along!

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