When we think of flu season, we usually think of pesky germs that will get us sick.  But what exactly are germs?  Germs are microscopic organism (also known as microbes) that can cause disease and infections that can make you sick.  Of course, you can’t remain completely germ-free, since germs are integral to our daily lives, live on our skin, and are in our external environment.  But there many ways you can prevent germs from getting you sick.  Her are a few ways how:

Practice Good Hygiene

Common hygiene practices, such as practicing good hand-washing techniques, and regularly sanitizing hard surfaces can reduce your chances of spreading potentially dangerous germs.

You don’t need to run your hands until extremely hot water and scrub your hands to get them reasonably clean.  Washing your hands under running tap water and soap can cut down the transmission of germs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend washing your hands in five ease steps:

• Wet your hands with running water
• Lather your hands with soap
• Scrub underneath your fingernails and in between your fingers
• Rise your hands under the running water
• Dry your hands with a clean towel
• Cleaning Surfaces

It’s also essential to keep surfaces in your home clean.  From your kitchen sink, to your bathroom tub, your home is filled with germs that can get your whole family sick.  To reduce the amount of illnesses that can come into your home, it’s important to regularly sanitize surfaces such as:

• Doorknobs
• Kitchen counters
• Kitchen appliances such as microwaves, toasters, teapots, and coffee makers
• Remote controls
• Phones
• Computer keyboards

Practice Safe Personal Habits

Along with washing your hands and sanitizing surfaces, some ways you can remain germ-free include avoiding rubbing your eyes, touching your nose and mouth, and avoiding being in contact with sick individuals.  Colds and other upper respiratory illnesses can spread through touch, and droplets containing viruses are capable of infecting you.  If you happen to touch a contaminated surface and then touch you mouth, you’re putting yourself at risk for getting sick.  And if you are sick, be sure to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze so you don’t spread your illness to others.

There are plenty of ways you can avoid getting sick, but despite our best efforts, we can end up catching a cold.  If you happen to get sick this flu season, be sure to visit AFC Urgent Care Malden for treatment so you can feel better, sooner!