Most common infectious diseases spread from germs that are found everywhere. However, with a few simple ways you can protect yourself from them. Learn 7 best ways to protect yourself from common infectious diseases in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.
Ways to Protect Yourself from Common Infectious Diseases
There are certain best ways to protect yourself from common infectious diseases, including:
- Keep your hands clean:
Washing your hands regularly is the easiest and best way to prevent infectious diseases. When you wash or sanitize your hands, you can remove the germs and viruses. This is particularly important especially when cooking or caring for people who are already infected. You should wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and dry them completely with a personal towel. If water is not available nearby, you should carry a pocket-size alcohol-based sanitizer to clean your hands.
Always wash your hands after coming from a public place, after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or touching common objects or things, before and after cooking or using the bathroom. If your hands are clean, don’t touch your face, especially your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Cover coughs and sneezes:
Coughs and sneezes mostly occur due to infections, and they carry germs that travel 3 feet or more which can infect a healthy person. That’s why you should cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, handkerchief, the bend of your elbow, and your hands. After using a tissue, throw it away, wash your hands, handkerchief, and clothes that are used to cover your coughs and sneeze when you get home.
- Keep the regularly used surfaces clean:
Some germs from an infected person can survive on surfaces longer than you expect, which can infect you when you touch that surface or object. So, you should clean the commonly used surfaces of the office and home frequently to lower the risk of infection transmission. Some commonly used surfaces are – tables, bench tops, door handles, light switches, toys, and taps.
Clean these surfaces with hot soapy water or your normal household cleaning product. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions on correct product use. When possible, use disposable cloths or paper towels to clean surfaces because you can throw them away after use. If you use reusable cloths, you need to disinfect and dry them after use, so that bacteria and viruses don’t survive on those cloths.
- Get vaccinated:
Vaccines are designed to boost immunity to a specific disease, particularly, infectious disease. Vaccines contain deactivated germs of viruses or bacteria which are given to the host so that the body’s immune system builds antibodies to prevent the virus or bacteria. Many of the vaccines are given in children and adults to protect against many communicable diseases like chickenpox, influenza, tetanus, etc.
It also protects people who have weakened immune systems. When most people are vaccinated in a community, they build immunity to infectious diseases, which makes the disease extinct. This type of protection is known as herd immunity. That’s why you should make sure to take all necessary vaccines by consulting with your doctor.
- Stay at home if you’re sick:
You should stay at home if you’re unwell to prevent the spread of the infection to others. Keep your distance from other members of your household and stay in your room until you feel well. If someone in your home gets sick, then make sure they stay in 1 room or area until they get well. Wear a mask if you need to take care of them and wash their plate and clothes separately until they get well.
- Practice good kitchen hygiene:
Practicing good kitchen hygiene allows you to protect yourself and others from getting infected. You should keep your kitchen and bathroom surfaces clean, wash hands before and after handling food products; separate raw meat and poultry prep surfaces from uncooked vegetables; timely refrigerate foods to keep them fresh to use, throw products that cross expiry dates, and cook food at the right temperatures.
- Wear a face mask:
Face masks can be especially useful in preventing the spread of respiratory illnesses, like COVID-19 and flu. It also protects others as well. It is recommended that you wear a face mask when you’re visiting healthcare services or when you’re in closed, crowded, and confined spaces, with poor ventilation. A well-fitting face mask can also protect particles from spreading or being breathed in when someone speaks, laughs, coughs, or sneezes. You can use special masks like N95, KN95, or FFP2 masks to prevent you from breathing in viruses.
When to seek medical care?
You should seek medical care if you feel you may have an infection and/or any of the following:
- An animal or a human bite.
- Trouble breathing.
- A cough for more than a week.
- Rapid heartbeat.
- A rash, especially along with a fever.
- Blurred vision or trouble seeing.
- Constant vomiting.
- An unusual or severe headache.
Your doctor may run diagnostic tests to rule out the condition and create the treatment plan that works best for you.
You can’t control the spread of infectious diseases, however, with the above-mentioned ways you can protect yourself from common infectious diseases and keep yourself and others safe and healthy.
If you are having infectious disease symptoms, visit our Urgent care in Brooklyn clinic to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!!!
Doral Health and Wellness has several urgent care clinics around New York that can cater to your family’s medical needs. We also have the best medical providers, physicians and staff that are highly trained in their respective specialties. To know more about the locations of our urgent care clinics, you can visit us at Doral Health and Wellness. If you are looking for urgent care near you, you can visit Doral Health and Wellness Urgent Care. We provide urgent care for common illnesses and injuries. Additionally, we also provide comprehensive care for any related injuries and health problems. We also offer other services, such as vaccinations, immunizations, and blood testing. For more info, visit us or call 1-347-384-5690.
