Healthy Habits and Virus Prevention

This should take at least 20 seconds, or the time it takes to sing 'Happy Birthday' twice.

Alcohol-based hand rubs are effective against influenza virus and are not as drying as soap and water. They can be used effectively unless your hands are visibly soiled.

Remember to clean your hands before preparing or serving food, brushing or flossing teeth, inserting or removing contact lenses, or treating wounds and cuts.

Clean hands after any contact with potentially infectious individuals, coughing and sneezing, using the bathroom, caring for a sick person, after taking off masks and gloves, or taking out the garbage.

Use a tissue or cough and sneeze into your elbow or sleeve. The new trend is to use your elbow!

Wash hands after sneezing/coughing, and disposing of the tissue in a waste basket.

Frequently clean commonly used surfaces, such as the TV remote, doorknobs, telephone, and kitchen and bathroom counters with regular disinfectant. You can also use bleach (1 cup bleach + 1 gallon water)

Wash dishes with soap and warm water.

If you or anyone in your home is ill, or if you may have been exposed to an ill person, stay at home and isolate yourself as much as possible.

Stay in a separate room with good light and ventilation.

Assign one person to care for the sick to minimize spread.

Avoid crowds and public gatherings.

Don’t send sick children to school.

Wear gloves and a mask when in contact with sick persons. Depending on proximity, a respirator may be used.

If masks aren’t available, you can use layers of cloth to reduce droplet transmission.

If gloves aren’t available, you can use household rubber gloves that have been disinfected using bleach and water (1 part bleach to 10 parts water).

According to the CDC, hand washing is the "most important means of preventing the spread of infection." Here’s how to wash them well and perhaps avoid a cold or the flu. Wash your hands for 20 seconds or the time is takes to sing 'Happy Birthday' twice.

Instructions

Step 1: Turn on the sink and get your hands wet with warm water.

Step 2: Use plenty of soap and rub hands together vigorously for at least 10 seconds.

Step 3: Wash palms, backs of hands, wrists, fingers and under fingernails.

Step 4: Rinse hands thoroughly with warm water.

Step 5: Dry hands with a clean towel or paper towel.

Step 6: Turn off the sink with the towel - this prevents reinfection of your hands.