With the current COVID-19 pandemic situation and more virulent strains of common diseases emerging, the need for regular disinfection and staying germ-free becomes more and more important. The rate of human-to-human transmission of diseases these days is very high, especially in areas with dense populations or areas where people gather.
While the health situation may seem bleak in some places, it also teaches us the importance of sanitation, hygiene, and disinfection. Most of us may already know what to do, but we’ll share tips that will help reinforce practices that can help you stay germ-free wherever you go.
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Keep Your Hands Clean
Not all germs and pathogens are airborne. Many of them can be transmitted through the objects we touch, such as doorknobs, handrails, and our smartphones. Our hands are most vulnerable to catching germs and introducing them to our bodies.
While handwashing may be an effective way of cleaning our hands, we do not always have access to washrooms wherever we go. Instead, personal protective equipment suppliers at DMB Supply recommend two ways of keeping your hands clean: wearing disposable gloves and bringing a hand sanitizer. Disposable gloves come in handy when your job or regular activity involves handling objects or substances that have pathogens, skin irritants, or harmful chemicals.
Doctors, chemists, lab technicians, and other people working in the medical field need gloves to perform their tasks properly. For those who are always on the go and regularly travel to and from work, a good precaution is to bring a hand sanitizer if washing your hands is not possible. This way, you are giving your hands a good measure of disinfection until you get home and wash your hands. There can be plenty of things that you may have touched on the way home, so it pays to take extra precaution.
Be Extra Careful In Public Places
Public places like malls, beaches, and public transit stations are hotspots for germ and pathogen transmission, especially airborne ones. The rapid spread of COVID-19 was largely due to the spread of fine droplets of virus-carrying particles from an infected person’s cough or sneeze. Wearing face masks and maintaining a sufficient physical distance from another person are two effective ways of keeping yourself germ-free.
The latter can be possible if strictly implemented by the government and the community, while the former is a matter of self-discipline and good health habit. If it is not possible for you to keep a good physical distance from other people, always bring a face mask as a contingency measure.
Cover Your Sneeze Or Cough
Coughing or sneezing without covering your mouth and nose can easily spread viruses and germs from one person to another. In the event that you are the one coughing or sneezing, be mindful of others and do not spread the disease further by bringing tissue and using it to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Immediately dump the tissue and wash your hands afterward or use a hand sanitizer or alcohol if a washroom is not available.
If, somehow, you do not have a tissue on you, cover your mouth and nose with your inner elbow when you cough or sneeze. Again, follow up with handwashing or sanitizing your hands to help avoid spreading germs.
Mind What You Eat Or Drink
Being watchful of how your food or drink is prepared or served can help prevent the ingestion of germs and catching diseases. Respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases are most commonly transmitted by improperly handled food or drinks or unsanitary practices in preparing food. When you are traveling to different places, it is always good to have your own supply of bottled water if you’re not sure of the water’s sanitation system. Also, avoid raw or uncooked foods as much as possible, especially if you are in a foreign country.
There can be many effective measures to keep ourselves germ-free once we step outside our homes. We reinforced some major points here in order to instill a more dedicated practice of good personal hygiene and sanitation. After all, prevention still remains way better than cure.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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