An easy thing you can do to keep yourself and others healthy is to wash your hands regularly.  Germs can easily spread from person to person or from person to things (i.e., door knobs or money) to person.  Illnesses like colds, the flu, and infections from fecal matter can be very serious, so it is very important to protect yourself by washing your hands well and often!  Good hand washing is more than just running your hands under water.  Learn more about good hand washing techniques here.

When you cough or sneeze, you should use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose and then immediately throw the tissue in the wastebasket.  If you don’t have a tissue available, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, or the inside of your elbow – NOT into your hands!  And, always follow-up by washing your hands with soap and water, or by using an alcohol-based hand-cleaner.

Other things that help prevent the spread the disease include:

• Keeping your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs can enter your body this way and make you sick.

• Get your flu shot!

• Staying home when you are sick.  If you or your child have a fever, flu-like symptoms, vomiting or diarrhea, it is very important that you stay home to avoid getting others sick.  Call your doctor if you have any concerns about your symptoms.

• And, as always, don’t smoke and make sure you eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep!

How Flu Infections Spread

For more information about how flu infections spread, click here.