Health and Wellness April 2, 2020

Four ways you can protect yourself from viruses

Anna Kathryn Burch, MD

Pediatric Infectious Disease
Columbia, SC

Viruses can easily spread from person to person and they can live on surfaces, spreading easily. Anna Kathryn Burch, MD, pediatric infectious disease, offered simple ways you can protect yourself and others from getting or spreading viruses this season.

1. Know how to wash your hands. Believe it or not, there is a correct way. First, you want to wet your hands and add soap. Second, create a good lather with the soap – being sure to wash your entire hand, including under your fingernails. Third, scrub and lather for at least 20 seconds. Lastly, rinse your hands off, dry them with a clean paper towel and turn the faucet off with the paper towel.
2. Use hand sanitizer when water and soap aren’t available. Hand sanitizer is a great alternative to soap and water. Be sure to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol for the best results. This information can be found on the label in the list of active ingredients.
3. Use a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Sneezing into your elbow is better than sneezing into your hands; however, the best option is sneezing into a tissue that you can then throw away. This prevents any germs from spreading via your clothing or skin where your sneeze may have landed.
4. Sanitize items you commonly touch. It is important to make sure we are cleaning and sanitizing items that we are constantly touching – door handles, phones, remotes, etc. Cleaning these items can help prevent the spread of any germs that may be living on them.

These four simple practices can help keep you and your family safe during this virus season. If you are sick with a virus, another tip to remember is to stay at home. Staying home can help prevent spreading your sickness to others.