However, preventing infections doesnt stop there.
Getting vaccinated, practicing food safety, and wearing a face mask also help.
Keeping your immune system strong and healthy allows your body to better fight off organisms that cause disease.
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Eating well and getting good sleep are two things you could do to help you boost your immune system.
Avoiding infectionsis an important aspect of preventing both the short-term inconvenience of being sick and the long-term complications.
It also reduces the risk of spreading infections to others who might be especially vulnerable to severe illness.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
If you dont have water and soap with you, analcohol-based hand sanitizeror wipe will do the job.
Teach your kids to do the same.
Cover Your Mouth
Good hygiene includes the age-old practice of covering your mouth whenever you cough or sneeze.
Many respiratory infections are spread by droplets that can infect people who are nearby.
Others are spread byairborne transmissionin which tiny aerosol particles can travel for longer distances to infect others.
And even somelower respiratory tract infectionsliketuberculosiscan be spread when a person coughs.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Wear a Face Mask
Face masksbecame a part of peoples everyday lives with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Face masks help you avoid getting an infectious respiratory disease and prevent you from infecting others if youre infected.
If your face mask is reusable, remember to clean your face mask.
Washing it in the washing machine or by hand are both effective.
check that the mask completely covers your nose and mouth.
Cloth masks offer lower levels of protection than surgical/disposable masks and respirators.
Respirators approved by NIOSH offer the most protection.
Practice Food Safety
Foodborne illnesses have many causes.
Microbes thrive on virtually all food items, particularly foods left at room temperature.
Prompt refrigeration within two hours of food preparation can usually slow or stop the growth of most microbes.
In addition, using separate cutting boardsone for raw meats and the other for producecan prevent cross-contamination.
Travel Safely
Infectious diseases can easily be picked up while traveling, particularly when traveling to resource-limited countries.
it’s possible for you to reference these by accessing theCDCs Travelers Health site.
This can reduce your risk of infection and your risk of infecting others.
Somecancersare related to viral infections, including sexually transmitted ones likehuman papillomavirus (HPV).
PrEP can reduce your risk of getting HIV from sex by around 99%.
Withoral sex, your risk of getting HIV is lower than with anal or vaginal sex.
However, you still have a risk of getting other STIs like chlamydia, HPV, and herpes.
To practice safe oral sex, use a condom,dental dam, or other barrier method.
If you have pets, verify they get regular checkups and that their vaccinations are up to date.
Clean litter boxes frequently and keep small children away from animal feces.
Cat feces are often the source oftoxoplasmosis.
Wild animals also pose risks, includingrabies,bird flu, and flea- or tick-borne illness likeLyme disease.
Eat Healthy Foods
What you eat can affect how susceptible your body is to germs like viruses and bacteria.
Getting adequate amounts of theseimmune-boosting foodsin your diet is recommended:
11.
The amount of sleep varies as you age.
Children and adolescents need more sleep than adults.
The CDC recommends adults get seven or more hours of sleep each night.
Summary
Preventing infectious diseases means adopting various habits and taking precautions to stop the spread of pathogens.
Get adequate sleep and follow a healthy diet to keep your immune system working properly.
Get vaccinated for long-term protection against disease.
Also, take care when youre traveling, practice safe sex, and avoid animal-borne diseases and hospital-acquired infections.
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