No matter how well you take care of yourself, it's inevitable that someone in your household will come down with the most prevalent infectious diseases around -- a cold or the flu. But when one of your nearest and dearest is sneezing up a storm, is the whole family doomed to suffer the same fate? By taking proper precautions, you can sidestep an all-out household contamination.
How do you pass it on?
The typical noises you make when you're sick are your body's way of telling you it's trying to dispel the virus. When you sneeze or cough, you eject droplets of the virus into the air, putting people near you at risk of inhaling those droplets and becoming infected with your virus. Droplets can also contaminate surfaces, spreading germs if someone were to touch a compromised surface and then rub their nose, eyes or mouth.
Respiratory etiquette
Dr. Arlene King, director of the immunization and respiratory infections division at the Public Health Agency of Canada suggests keeping tissues on hand. Using a tissue to cover your mouth and nose before coughing or sneezing will help to prevent you from sharing your germs with others. Teach your children to do the same and always send them out the door with some tissues in their pocket. If you find yourself on the brink of a cough or a sneeze and you're out of tissues, turn your head and use the upper part of your sleeve to catch the spray.
Surface scrubbing
When someone in your household is infected, be diligent about cleaning common household surfaces such as the phone and remote control. Try the All-Purpose Household Cleanser recipe from the Germs Begone! article in the November 2005 issue of Canadian Living.
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