Dos and don’ts for avoiding infections

Follow these tips to help lower your risk of infections:

• Do practice good hygiene: Wash your hands before handling food, after using the bathroom and after handling pets. Wash your hands often when you have a cold.

•Don’t share eating or drinking utensils: That’s a good way to spread infections.

•Do cook certain foods thoroughly — especially hamburger — to kill bacteria:

Don’t eat raw or undercooked meat or poultry, raw seafood or raw eggs. Don’t drink or cook with unpasteurised milk.

•Don’t drink water that’s likely contaminated: That includes, for example, water from streams or lakes near campsites or hiking trails.

• Don’t put your fingers in your mouth or eyes: Doing so transmits germs.

•Do avoid contact with ticks and rodents: Stay away from these and other disease carriers.

•Do keep up to date with vaccinations: They can protect you from life-threatening infectious diseases.

•Do recognise signs of generalised infections: Signs and symptoms include, for example, fever, sweats and chills. For skin infections, look for redness and warmth.

•Don’t delay contacting your doctor if you’re sick: Many serious infections are treatable in the early stages.

• Don’t expect an antibiotic each time you’re sick: Antibiotics don’t help with some common infections, and overuse encourages the growth of drug-resistant microorganisms.

Source:the  punch